Apocalypse Drama
by blazethundr23
Summary: Survival has never been so hard. Riley Talon - normal teen must battle hardship after hardship, to protect what friends he has left. From the dead rising and eating the living - to evil leaders threatening their safety. The apocalypse brings all of humanity's strength and endurance to the test (All OC - sorry but no more need for anymore OC's.)
1. Character Data

Location: New Jersey

Riley: a senior when the apocalypse hit, in the middle of graduating.

Lauren: Riley's mom, late to his graduation.

Krystal: Riley's 9 yr old sister,'also late.

Darren: a guy who meets one of the above 3, leading them to the rest of the group (wait to find out who and how)

John: Riley's best friend who was absent on the day of the graduation, thus not being there.

Rebecca: a 35 yr old woman, shy and docile, wouldn't hit a fly.

Willy: Rebeccas hubby, skilled with a pickaxe

Emily: Rebeccas 19 yr old daughter

Jay "The Razor": token black guy, mid 40s, one of the last military left standing

Marika: Asian girl, 24, nursemaid

Valerie: brainiac girl, who knows everything, straight A's honor roll, valid Victorian

I need at least 2 more characters - so if you post a review telling me the data about your char I'll start the story as soon as I reach at least 2... you can only submit 1 char per person


	2. Prologue Chapter 1: The Outbreak

**An: well this is gonna be fun...**

* * *

**| Riley POV |**

"Riley Talon." The announcer called my name.

I walked to the podium to get my diploma, and as I reAched for it I heard sirens.

"This is not a drill! This is not a drill! Theres an outbreak of... Of... Something! I don't know what to call it! Just evacuate the school now!" The principal came on the loudspeak, followed by moaning, then a blood curdling scream.

"What the hell..." A girl behind me mumbled.

The parents in the audience ran to get their kids, I looked around for my mom and Krystal. Both were nowhere to be seen. Let alone my bastard of a father, probably at the bar getting shit faced again...

| Lauren POV |

"Mom, are we almost there?" Krystal looked at me from the backseats.

"Be quiet for a minute honey... Someone's talking on the radio, he sounds desperate..." I pat her leg gently.

"This is a warning to all Parsippany residents! Evacuate new jersey now! This is not a drill! There's humans turning cannibal and they won't hesitate to eat you too! If you know what's good for you, you'll leave, no questions asked." The voice spoke. "ExperTS here at the station believe their infected with some sort of viral disease, if they get you, you turn into one too!"

"What's he talking about mom?" Krystal looked at me.

"I don't know Hun... Well be alright. I promise." I kept driving.

Suddenly Krystal screamed, as pale creatures rammed her door, and then my door was rammed too, as I screamed.

"What are these things!" I screamed.

Just as the window smashed and a pale hand reached in, a bullet got lodged in its skull and it fell over as a man holding a pistol with a silencer programmed on it appeared.

"Who are you..." I managed, shocked.

"Doesn't matter. if you wanna live follow me." He ran across the empty highway, and I looked at Krystal.

"Get your stuff and follow him..." I picked up my purse and ran after him, holding Krystal's hand.

| Riley POV |

I looked around at the empty auditorium.

"All alone... Everyone left..." I mumbled to myself. I heard a scream suddenly as the school nurse ran in, slamming the door behind her and it was being attacked.

"Miss Lee, what's going on?" i asked the school nurse.

"Call me Marika..." she managed. "The monsters are attacking us..."

Suddenly my phone rang and I looked at it, seeing a new text from John, it reaD "are you still alive?" I noticed just then my phone shut off, as the power in the school cut off.

"We can't stay here Marika..."I breathed. "we have to go..."

"Theres another door behind the curtains. That one should be cleared." Marika Climbed onto the stage and behind the curtains and i hurriedly followed and as she opened the door we heard the door to the auditorium smash open, as the creatures ran in.

| Lauren POV |

"A little more!" The man called as he lead us into a cave in a forest, and we saw a small campfire going a few people gathered around. "meet the family."

"Oh... Uh... Hello..." I managed, shyly.

"Who are these people?" A guy in back stood up.

"I don't believe it..." I stared, awestruck.

"John?!" Krystal ran and hugged him.

"Hey darlin..." He hugged her and looked at me.

"Wheres Riley?" I asked.

"I dont know, I was absent from the graduation..." John spoke.

"Names Darren." the man who brought us spoke. "you already know john I guess, that's Rebecca, Willy, Emily, and Valerie."

"Hey Darren, it alright if me, Emily , and Valerie leave to go get food and supplies?" John spoke.

"Be careful..." Darren spoke.

Jusr as they were about to leave the radio turned on.

"the island inside the reservoir..; get there, there's a military stronghold up there, we will protect the public." The voice spoke.

| Riley POV |

Where do we go? Every place I can think of is probably overrun...

"The reservoir..." Marika breathed.

"What?" I asked her.

"Right before the radio cut off I heard bout a military stronghold there, worth a shot." She spoke, and kept running with me following.

"We need weapons and fast!" I called.

"Pathmark is on the way, knives yknow?" Marika spoke as we ran and after bout an hour of running we saw Pathmark.

"Shit, it's overrun..." I saw creatures on the roof and street.

"What are they..." Marika spoke.

"Infected..." I spoke the name I just came up with to give them.

* * *

**AN: the first chapter is short to set up the plot...**


	3. Prologue Chapter 2: Too late

| John POV |

"So where are you going for supplies?" Darren asked me.

"There should be a Pathmark near here, probably overrun but we can handle it." I smirked. "See ya soon Krystal."

"We're really going... There...?" Valerie stared at me.

"You can stay here if you want, chicken. But we who have balls are going there, so stay if your a pussy." Emily crossed her arms and walked out.

"Damn..." Lauren mumbled.

"Let's go Valerie. I'll protect you..." I grabbed her hand and gave her a warm, welcoming smile.

"Promise?" Valerie mumbled, looking down.

"Of course..." I walked out with her, going to Emily who was waiting by a tree.

"Can I go?" Krystal ran out, begging us.

"Ask your mom first okay?" I looked down at her.

"She said it's okay if you protect me..." Krystal looked up at me, with a puppy-dog face.

"Awww not that face... I can't say no to that face hon..." I sighed.

"She can come, but your babysitting her." Emily scoffed.

| Riley POV |

"We need to go. Be quiet." I held Marika's hand tightly.

"Alright..." We ran and ducked behind a bush as 2 Infected walked past us.

We ran to the door and very slowly opened it. As we ran to the kitchen appliances, an Infected spotted us and walked to us as we backed away and saw a butcher knife on the floor, I knelt and grabbed it as the Infected lunged at me, I stabbed it in the chest but it isn't working!

"Are these fucking things immortal!" I screamed as I slammed the butcher knife one last time into the skull and it toppled. "Well that works too.."

"Let's go before more show up..." Marika mumbled and I followed her in walking away, but as we walked past a collapsed shelf and a hand reached out, grabbing my ankle.

"No! Let go!" I struggled, and kicked it so it let go but it pulled my shoe off as it let go.

"Forget the shoe let's go!" Marika called as we ran off, but she didn't notice her bracelet fell off as we left.

"Let's go to the island..." I gasped to catch my breath as I held the knife.

| John POV |

We approached the Pathmark and saw it completely overrun.

"I'm scared john..." Krystal hugged my leg.

"Me too..." Valerie shuddered.

"Shouldn't of brought the babies..." Emily mumbled.

"Shut up Emily." I scowled at her. "Let's go..."

I held Krystal's hand as we entered and went through the kitchen appliances.

"John...?" Krystal stuttered.

"What?" I stared.

"Riley's shoe..." Krystal looked at a Infected holding a shoe.

"Whose Riley?" Emily asked, as she pulled out her pocket knife and stabbed the Infected repeatedly in the head.

"My best friend and her brother..." I stared.

"Well sorry girl but your brothers dead." Emily scoffed, then looked away as Krystal burst into tears.

"It's okay Krystal... I lost my sister and mom too..." Valerie hugged Krystal, as Krystal cried hysterically.

"He wasn't alone. He was with Miss. Lee..." I knelt by her bracelet and picked it up.

"Who?" Emily looked at me.

"Our school nurse." I looked up. "their still alive. I don't see either of their dead bodies..."

"They could be half way to California by now." Emily scoffed.

"We need to look! Please john!" Krystal begged me.

"We will. Valerie, go back, tell the others we will be back late" I spoke, and she sighed.

"I'll try to make it." She ran out.

| Riley POV |

"The island should be just down that street across the ravine!" Marika called as we ran, and I swung the butcher knife at one of the Infected, slashing its head clean off.

As we saw the ravine, we noticed a tank on the island, with people around it.

"Other survivors..." I breathed, smiling.

"Let's go." Marika grabbed my hand, and started calling to them, one of them looked over and pointed to a boat on the isLand and another survivor went on, and drove to marika and me.

"Thank you... What's your name?" We got on.

"Jay." He smiled at us.

| Valerie POV |

"Lauren!" I ran back into the cave.

"Yes Valerie?" Lauren looked at me.

"We found your sons shoe... John and Krystal are convinced he's still alive so they went after him..." I breathed.

"And Emily?" Rebecca stood.

"She went with them..." I looked at her.

"Oh my god... I hope their right... I need to sit down..." Lauren sat beside Darren and sighed.

| John POV |

"He would want to head to the closest save haven..." I breathed.

"I heard of a military stronghold across the ravine." Emily spoke.

"I heard that too." I sighed. "let's head there."

"I swear to god if this is false..." Emily mumbled.

"Let's go." I ran off, holding Krystal, with Emily following.

| Riley POV |

"We are here." Jay got out and we followed.

"Who are them?" A voice spoke.

"That... Voice..." I breathed. "You!"

* * *

**AN: worst cliffhanger ever.**


	4. Prologue Chapter 3: Unexpected reunion

| John POV |

"Not much farther!" I called to Emily, who was close behind me.

"Shut it! You want to lure more of those drooling beasts here!" She called to me.

"What? Thought you liked the attention! Infected drool over you more than any guy would! Hah!"'I laughed.

"Shut the hell up!" She called, scowling, I could see I hurt her.

"Aww sorry Emily." I smirked so she knows I'm not sorry, and she just groaned.

"I see the ravine!" Krystal pointed.

"is that..." I stared, spotting Riley, Marika, and the man I thought I'd never see again.

"Riley!" Krystal called, and he turned to look but as he did, the man knocked him out with the butt of a pistol.

As Marika went to hide behind Jay, Jay knocked her out with a punch to the face, tying up both of them.

"Get them!" the man screamed, pointing to me, Krystal, and Emily.

"Krystal honey, run and get your mom and the other okay? Tell them where we are, okay?" I pat her head as she teared up and ran back the way we came and me and Emily looked at the people as they came on the boat.

"You really think we can take them all on?" Emily looked at me, and for the first time since I've known her seemed genuinely scared.

"of course not." I smiled.

"And you think Krystal can find her way back?" Emily looked at me. "she's just a little girl..."

"I do. She's smart. She's Riley's sister, she's got his sense of direction." I smiled.

"Your a crazy son of a bitch aren't ya?" Emily scoffed as the boat parked and five of the people ran off, including Jay.

"yes." I pulled out my pocket knife , so did Emily.

"You know we are fucked right?" Emily groaned.

"Yup." I smirked.

| Krystal POV |

My brother in danger... John in danger... Emily in danger... I must hurry, they may already be dead... Mom will help... Valerie too, Darren too of course...

"Everyone!" I called as I saw the cave. Darren, Lauren, Valerie, Rebecca, and Willy ran out.

"Wheres John and Emily?" Valerie stared.

"What's wrong?" Darren looked at me.

"These people... Knocked out Riley... And this woman... Then came after me john and Emily... John told me to run and get back up so he could hold them off..." I breathed, tears flowing down my cheeks.

"Show us the way." Darren cocked his pistol.

I nodded and ran back to where I last saw john and Emily.

"Look fellas! The puppy is back! And she's brought the big dogs this time!" The man who knocked out Riley called, then did a doggy howl.

"its you..." Lauren breathed.

"Ah... Lauren. Long time no see, huh?" He smirked.

"Lauren, who is this?" Darren stared.

"Jack." Lauren spoke.

"How do you know him?" Darren looked at her.

" He went to school with Riley 2 years ago... They had a little fight, and Riley left him as a friend to be with John. He didn't like that, not one bit. He tried to murder both john and Riley, but he couldn't finish the deed due to the fact I called the cops... He was supposed to be in Juvy still..." Lauren answered. "I was hoping you died in Juvy..."

"Is that any way to talk to a man when the life of your son hangs in the balance... Huh? And another girl, a woman, and that douchebag john hmm?" Jack smirked.

"Where are they?" Willy hissed at him.

"Who are you, old man?" Jack stared.

"The father of the girl you got..." Willy answered.

"Oh? A girl that hot being related to an old bat? Heh... You ain't ever getting them back..." Jack smiled.

"Why you..." Darren aimed his pistol but before he fired, Jay appeared, grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back hard.

"Fuck! That hurts you overgrown fucktard!" Darren screamed.

"let him go!" Lauren pleaded.

"Or what ma'am?" Jay smirked.

"Please!" Lauren begged.

"let him go Jay." Jack sighed.

"Alright..." Jay did as told.

"You ain't getting your kids back so leave." Jack smiled.

"please don't hurt my brother..." I begged.

| Riley POV |

I opened my eyes and looked around, I was tied to a chair in a room with 2 armed guards near 2 other people. I saw one was a girl I've never seen before and the other was John.

John?! John... Oh my god... He looks beat up... Wait! Wheres Marika!?

| Marika POV |

"Where am I..." i breathed as I looked at the man before me.

"Thats not for me to say.." he sighed.

"What are they gonna do to me?" I stared, close to tears.

"I can't say. Shut up now." The man hissed.

"Rodney! Bring the nurse now!" Jack's voice called.

* * *

**AN: Cliffhanger. Again.**


	5. Prologue Chapter 4: Dead Hole

| Marika POV |

"Rodney was it..? Please don't take me to that tyrant... Please...!" I begged.

"I have to, I'm sorry." Rodney sighed.

"Why? What is he gonna do?" I asked, blinking back tears.

"That's not for me to say." Rodney untied me, and escorted me out the door, where I was greeted by jack, Jay, and people I never met before except I recognized Riley's mom in the crowd, along with his sister...

"What are you gonna do to me!" I called to jack.

"Patience..." Jack smiled.

| Riley POV |

"Hello!" I screamEd. "Anybody out there?!"

I noticed the guards had left, to see some sort of 'show'. What could that mean...?

"Riley?!" A voice called back.

"John!" I called. "is that really you?!"

"Yeah! I'm with my ray of sunshine over here!" He called then a loud smack was heard. "ow!"

"Shut up..." A voice mumbled.

"Riley, this little peach is Emily!" John called back.

"Did she smack you? What? You guys aren't tied up!" I called, hope rising within me.

"Nope. We didn't seem like a threat." Emily called. "fucking idiots..."

"Do you guys see an exit?!" I called again.

| John POV |

"There is one door but it's locked from the outside." I called to Riley.

"Hmm... Can one of you maybe kick it down? Or together do it, with teamwork?" Riley called.

"Let's do it beautiful." I winked at Emily.

"In your dreams." She scoffed. "this friendship is only temporary, got that?"

"We'll see about that." I walked to the door and she followed.

"On the count of three!" I called and reared up and closed my eyes. "One... Two... Three!"

We both kicked as hard as we could at the door and felt it shake and weaken.

"Again! Put your back into it!" I screamed. "One... Two... Three...!"

We kicked it again, and the door shuddered and a few seconds later toppled over.

"We did it Riley!" I called.

"Great! Now Kick my door down!" Riley called.

| Riley POV|

I waited then a few moments later a pair of feet kicked the door, then another kick, and a third one brought the door crashing down.

"great! now untie me!" I smiled at them and John ran, beginning to untie the ropes that bound me. "I thought you died John..."

"You and me both, but I met this beauty over here and her parents plus a few other people... Guess what? Your sister and mom are with us!" John spoke as the untied rope fell to the ground.

"Krystal and mom..." I stared at the wall, hardly able to believe my ears.

"Yep and their probably here trying to save us... Let's go, slow pokes!" Emily crossed her arms.

"Well, ain't you just a cutie." I mumbled sarcastically. Emily simply rolled her eyes.

"I know right?" John mumbled.

"Let's go!" I ran out with them following.

As we found the exit we kicked it open and ran out. We saw Marika tied to a pole and being held above a hole filled with Infected, and being slowly lowered down.

| Marika POV - Before John, Riley, and Emily appeared. |

"Ain't it a shame she won't live to see thirty hmm? And ain't it just grand, that it's your fault, Lauren." Jack smiled.

"Shut up, let her go." Darren hissed.

"Or what? You can't do shit to me, with my boys pointing guns at you." Jack nodded to 3 snipers, positioned in various places - a tree, a roof, and lying low on the ground.

"Jackass..." Darren mumbled.

"Say what you want. I win. First, this little nurse maid right here... Then that cutie pie... Then John... Then Riley, in a slow, painful death." Jack laughed. "You see, assholes? I win! I always win!"

"Your a pussy, you know that, kid?" Willy suddenly spoke. "You have armed guards on us, and we are defenseless. Grow a pair of nuts and fight us fairly."

"Jay, take her to the Dead hole." Jack ignored the remark and pushed Marika to Jay, who walked off with her then Jack pointed up to show everyone Jay tying her up to a pole and a gate sliding open and everyone heard the moans. Marika slowly began lowering and Jay went back to Jack.

Just then, the door bust open.

| John POV - Present time |

"Jack, let her go!" I screamed at him.

"Riley!" Krystal went to run to him but was held back by Darren.

"Some reunion huh?" Darren mumbled.

"Tell me about it..." Willy scoffed.

"You three, get them!" Jack motioned to three guards who ran at the three.

One swung a punch at me but I ducked, catching the man's arm, throwing him over my shoulder, and kneeling by him, using my hand to pin him down.

"How does it feel being a worthless nobody huh?" I whispered to him. "You will rot in Hell..."

I slammed my foot on his nuts hard and stood as he screamed in pain, which only riled the Infected up more.

I looked over and saw one guard swinging a punch at Emily.

| Emily POV |

John went to run and help me but I motioned for the loser to stay back.

I got this asshole... He swung a punch at me.

I caught his fist in my hand which hurt like a bitch. I leaned in suddenly

"Well, aren't you a cutie." I smiled as he leaned in, and I saw John blush with jealousy. As our lips were about to meet, I kneed him in the nuts and pushed him down. "Nah, your not my type, jackass."

Both me and John turned to see Riley squaring off with the last guy.

| Riley POV |

"Should we go help him?" John looked at Emily.

"I don't care." Emily shrugged.

"I got this!" I called.

The guy tackled me, as I struggled, but eventually managed to kick him off me.

"Fuck. You." I mumbled, and as he tried to get up, I kicked him again, as he fell back and stomped his nuts then punched his face hard.

I looked over and saw Marika super close to the Infected.

Suddenly me, John, and Emily were surrounded by more men, as they all held us at point blank with various guns.

"I win." Jack spoke slowly, with a grin on his face.

* * *

**AN: A MAJOR CLIFF HANGER!**


	6. Prologue Chapter 5: Escape

| Jack POV |

"Jack you had a sister right, same as me?" Riley looked at me.

"Yeah so what?" I scowled.

"Where is she?" John asked me.

"Dead. Got bit... Had to kill her. So what?" I smiled.

"What would she think about you?" John scowled.

"She'd be proud..." I smirked.

"No. Your sister was cute and sweet, like mine. She would despise you, hate you..." Riley spoke.

"No. She hates you for arresting me..." I glared.

"You tried to murder us!" John called.

"Good reason to murder You." I smiled.

"And what was that?" Emily asked.

"Cuz I replaced you as a friend for John?" Riley stared at me.

"You were the only person I cared bout Riley... I cared about you more than my sister! Hell, you were a fucking brother to me!" I suddenly screamed.

"And to prove that, you what? Tried to murder me? And John?" Riley glared.

| Riley POV |

Jack stared unspeaking for a few moments then smirked.

"I don't care what you think." Jack smiled.

"should I execute them?" Jay looked at Jack.

"No. let us talk." jack smiled. "you know Riley? I used to admire your brilliance... But now I see your no smarter than that fucktard john right there."

"oh? How so?" I stared at him.

"Because! You betrayed _me_! Me! You knew I was always tougher and more malevolent than both you and your boyfriend right there." Jack smirked.

"Ew." Emily mumbled.

"Jack, answer me okay? Why did you feel betrayed?" I looked at himc

"I already told you." He hissed.

"Jay! What bout you! Do you want this!" I called.

"No." Jay mumbled. "let them go..."

"Don't you betray me too!" Jack screamed at him.

Darren noticed how the only one guarding them was jay, all the other guards were near me, Emily, and john..

| Darren POV |

Jay is not strong enough to take both me and willy...

"Psst... Willy... We can take Jay and take back my pistol..." I whispered to him.

"You sure?" Willy whispered, I simply nodded.

Suddenly i grabbed Jay from behind, putting my hands on his head and neck, and in one swift motion, snapped his neck.

I grabbed my pistol and aimed at the guards, shooting one im the back of the head, the others turned to me and aimed.

"The ol' double take down brother?" Riley looked at John.

"Yup." John smiled.

They took each others hands and rammed down to of the other guards, and pinned them down.

The remaining guard took aim at me but was stopped by a knock out blow from a hard kick from Emily to the back of the head.

"Idiots!" Jack screamed.

"Enough out of you." I aimed at him.

"Your too late!" Jack smiled and we looked to Marika and with horror saw the pole all bloody and her body was missing.

"Marika... No..." Riley teared up.

"You sick fuck..." John mumbled.

"Haha... Kill me, it won't bring her back..." Jack smiled.

"You are one sicko..." Willy scoffed.

"Oh?" Jack smirked.

"Good night sick fuck." Darren spoke slowly before shooting a single bullet straight into Jack's forehead.

"Is it all over...? " Krystal looked up at Lauren.

"Yes honey..." Lauren hugged Krystal.

"Riley!" Krystal ran to her brother and hugged him, crying. "I thought you died..."

"You and me both..." Riley hugged her.

Willy and Rebecca ran and hugged Emily who pulled away.

"Don't touch me." Emily mumbled.

"Let's go back home." I slid my gun into its holster, walked to the 2 guards Riley and John had pinned and shot both of them dead.

:: ::

Back at the cave we see its destroyed, ransacked, and we see at least 100 Infected surrounding it.

"Oh my god..." Valerie mumbled.

"We need a new home... Fucking great." I groaned.

"It'll be okay as long as we are together..." Riley smiled.

And with that, and a heavy heart, Riley, John, and the rest of the group left their previous cave home to find a new safe haven... Will any place be ideal?

* * *

**AN: there you have it - season 1 donE! 3 character death. - Marika, Jay, Jack. 4 if you count Rodney being one of the guards that got shot by darren.**


	7. Season 2 Chapter 1: A New Home?

**An: so, I got a good review trying to help me make my story make more... Umm... Sense I guess. And I'm gonna use what that person said, so thank you WalkingDeadFan!**

* * *

| This chapters POV: Riley |

3 months had passed since Jack and Jay's heartless execution of Marika... There had not been a single safe home yet, we went from a small boarded up indoor park, which got destroyed by a surprise attack of Infected, which almost cost the life of Krystal. Next, was a tall building, we thought the height might prove to be a good defense so we could see them coming, we were wrong...

Darren, John, and Emily are convinced to going deep into a city, clear the entire city out. Lauren, Valerie, and Rebecca are convinced to head to the coast, find a boat you know? I just don't know who to believe... Willy says he'll go wherever his wife and daughter go... And Krystal will go anywhere I go.

I'm not the leader they need, not the one that will save them. Everyone else is more deserving, why did they even appoint me? Why not Darren or John? Or even Emily? John says it's cause of my heroism back there, thinking of how to let him and Emily out, and thinking quick on my feet to distract jack. I can't save them, I'll lead to more deaths, like Marika... She saved my life at the school. And how did I repay her? Letting Jack send her into a pit filled with drooling freaks...If only I was sooner, didn't try to talk him out of it... She would still be here... We went back to that island once to see what changed... It was overrun... Good riddance.

I have their trust, but their trust is misplaced. There is no way I can do this... Darren can be more trustworthy... A ton more than me. Whatever. We are farther up north. In high point, New Jersey I think...

"Hey Riley!" John suddenly called me over.

I was looking down at a map With Darren, deciding on where to go.

"Be right there!" I called back. "We circle around to Sussex, find a nice farm?"

"I'm not sure if there's any farms there..." Darren groaned.

"Alright i gotta go see what John wants. Hey Willy! Come here and help Darren!" I called over to the guy near his wife and daughter

"You might wanna see this..." John mumbled when I ran to him.

"What is- oh god..." I looked over the horizon, we saw a factory, but by the looks of it, it was abandoned years prior to Infected coming to eat us.

"What's to say someone didn't already claim this?" Emily walked up.

"She's right." John sighed.

"Stop agreeing with me..." Emily scoffed.

"Bitch..." John mumbled.

"Ass." Emily sighed.

"Wait, guys..." I gently hit John's arm.

"What?" He looked out.

Just then, as if on cue, a whole crew of Infected came out of the building.

"Oh my god..." John breathed.

"We need to clear it , it's secured it seems like." Darren walked up.

"Yeah, but how?" Emily groaned.

"Teamwork?" I chuckled. "Let's just snipe from here?"

"Not enough ammo, we wouldn't make a dent." Darren sighed.

"Lets go straight in." John grabbed his knife.

"Be careful." I grabbed my machete.

"If anyone dies, I'm blaming you. Emily groaned.

:: ::

I walked down to the group of Infected, with John, Darren, Emily, and Willy following.

"Behind you!" I called to Darren as he swung his machete behind him, snatching one's skull clean off.

I slammed my machete into ones skull as another grabbed me, and I screamed as he moved his teeth to bite me, as it then spat blood and collapsed, I looked and saw Emily standing behind, wiping the knife on her pants.

"Thanks..." I Mumbled.

"Whatever." She scoffed, and walked away.

:: ::

After the yard was cleared with no casualties, we went in to clear out the interior.

"Empty." John breathed, looking at the vacant interior.

"Thank god, I'm tired." Emily groaned.

"I'll go get the others." Darren jogged out.

As he ran back in and Krystal hugged me I looked at everyone.

"I'm going on a run with John. Alright?" I looked down at my feet.

"No! You'll die!" Krystal hugged me.

"I won't, I promise." I pulled her off me.

"I'll make sure your brother comes home safe alright?" John smiled.

"Be safe okay Riley?" Lauren looked at me.

"Of course ma." I smiled, as we left.

:: ::

"So where are we going?" John looked at me.

"I don't know, let's go into every house we see." I sighed, as I kicked a door open to one house.

"Good idea..." John groaned.

"what? You think you can do a better job bro?" I glared at him.

"I think a wooden stool could do a better job than you. We lost Marika cuz of you man..." John scowled at me.

"Hey! Your the one that appointed me! I didn't ask for this gig!" I practically screamed at him.

"Maybe I was wrong..." John shook his head. "I'll just add appointing you as leader to every thing I was wrong about."

He walked in, with me following.

We saw Infected clawing at a closet, someone was whimpering inside.

"Leave her be." John whispered.

"We can't, they'll tear her limb from limb..." I hissed.

"You wanna get us killed if she turns out to be bit or evil huh? Like Jack or jay?" John looked at me.

"We need to learn to give people chances..." I looked at him. "We are helping her, whether you like it or not. I'm in charge like you forced me to be."

"Whatever." John hissed.

"Yo! Idiots!" I screamed as they turned to me.

"That's right... Come here fuckers..." I whispered as I jammed my knife into one of their skulls, and john stabbed another through the eye socket.

"Riley!" John called as there were two left, one was coming at john, the other just broke the door and was reaching in. "I got this one! You save that girl!"

I ran at the last one, and grabbed one leg, ripping it out of the closet , stomping it's skull into smithereens. John just finished stabbing the other one. I threw the closer door open, knife drawn. Inside was a girl about my age, she was unconcious, probably from shock.

"She bit?" John called over.

I knelt by her, checking her over.

"Nope, she's alive just passed out." I stood and looked at him.

"Leave her." John walked off.

"Hello...?" A voice spoke.

"Your awake!" I knelt by her.

"You saved me?" She looked up at me.

"Yes. What is your name miss?" I looked at her.

"Uh... Tiffany... Tiffany Redi..." She smiled weakly.

"I'm Riley, that's john. Can you walk?" I looked at her.

"I twisted my ankle badly... That's why I'm in here..." Tiffany sighed.

"Let's go! I see more Infected!" John called over, from where he was looking out a window.

"I'll carry you..." I lifted up Tiffany.

"Thank you..." She wrapped her arms around my neck to hold on.

"Your really bringing her?!" John groaned.

"Yes. Shes defenseless." I carried her outside. "cover me."

I ran, holding her all the way back to the factory.

:: ::

"Their back!" Krystal ran out, with Darren, Emily, and Lauren following.

"Whose she?!" Emily hissed.

"A friend." I scowled.

"She hurt?" Darren looked at us.

"Twisted ankle." I answered.

"She just needs to rest it." Darren spoke, as we went in and I set her on a table, she was passed out.

"Tough girl. Surviving all alone." Darren looked down at her.

"Riley's in love..." John teased.

"Shut up asshole! No I'm not!" I hissed at him.

"Shes pretty." Lauren chuckled.

"I just met her! I don't like her! Now shut up!" I hissed at them.

"Let her sleep." Darren escorted us away.

* * *

**AN: Season 2 ep 1 done... P.S thanks to my friend Derpimelt for the character Tiffany Redi!  
**


	8. Season 2 Chapter 2: Unseen Foe

**AN: Sorry for no update in forever, my cpu at home broke x-x so the updates will be scattered. well lets get this next ch. started!**

* * *

| This Chapter's POV: Riley... Again.| (Maybe every chapter might be Riley. I don't know yet...)

I sat down in a chair a few feet from where the new girl slept peacefully.

"I don't think she can be trusting... As soon as she wakes she's gone, alright?" I heard John whisper to Darren.

"I don't know, Riley seems to fancy her quite a bit." Darren chuckled as he whispered back.

"Gross." John pretended to gag.

"Grow up, baby..." Emily looked over at them from where she sat with Krystal.

"Eat me." John glared, earning a middle finger from Emily.

"Guys! Shh! Let her sleep!" I hissed at them.

"Damn... In love much?" John chuckled.

"Aww fuck you..." I mumbled. "I'm not in love, I'm just... considerate..."

"Where... am i...?" I heard a voice mumble weakly.

"Tiffany!" I looked at her, seeing she finally woke.

"Where... am i?!" She sat up, looking around, as if terrified.

"Your safe..." I looked her straight in the eyes.

"And you are?" She smiled slightly.

"Love at first sight." I heard John chuckle, earning a smack from Emily.

"Leave them be, jackass..." Emily whispered to him.

"This coming from the bitch who just hit me..." John mumbled, earning another harder smack.

"Lovely friends you have..." Tiffany giggled.

"Between me and you I think their secretly in love..." I whispered in her ear.

"We heard you!" John called over, crossing his arms.

"Good!" I laughed.

"So... your not gonna hurt me?" Tiffany looked at us.

"No. No no no..." I shook my head.

"Why would we?" Darren walked up.

"Others have..." Tiffany looked down.

"Why? Why would they hurt you... Your harmless." I looked into her eyes.

"Maybe 'cause I'm hot?" She giggled.

"Yeah that's it..." Emily mumbled sarcastically.

"Shut the hell up, Emily." I glared at her.

"Gettin' defensive now are we?" John chuckled.

"Your friends are assholes.." Tiffany shook her head.

"Hey! I resent that!" John called over.

"Can it John!" I called to him, and glared.

"So... Your Riley correct? The knight in shining armor who risked his life to save a defenseless princess?" Tiffany seemed to blush.

"And I'm guessin, your the princess?" Darren chuckled.

"Right you are." Tiffany smiled.

"Aren't princesses supposed to be beautiful?" Emily smirked.

"Yes they are. And by that standard she is a princess." I scowled.

"You think... I'm beautiful?" Tiffany looked at me, blushing.

"Yup." I smiled, trying to hide my embarrassment.

:: ::  
|Stranger's POV |

Somewhere far from where the factory is located... (Sorry if this is going away from just Riley's POV but i need to introduce the "Unseen Foe" alright?)

I can't believe it, it can't be happening can it? Can it? Dead rise to eat the living, hmph. Something out of an old movie, heh... I lost good men, men i couldn't afford to lose - my brother, my mother, my sister... my fucking wife. Whoever caused this... this mess needs to pay, heavily, possibly with their life. I named the undead abominations Rotters. Catchy ain't it?

She left me, good riddance. That no good whore, left me to be alone? She left her friends, her boyfriend - me! She's weak, she's got no legs to stand on. Why would she leave?

"Sir! Sir! I think we may have found her!" My man ran in.

"Where is she?" I stood up at my desk.

"We don't know, but we know where she was. We found her necklace a few miles away from here. She couldn't have gone far, she can't kill worth shit." My man smiled.

"Find out where she went! Now!" I ordered him.

"Yes sir!" He ran out, his tail between his legs.

It pays to be the scariest motherfucker ever... That whore will be found and brought back here... So I can get my revenge, she hurt me. I saved her life numerous times and she just left me. Me! I'm the best thing that ever happened to that cunt!

:: ::  
| Back at the factory - Riley POV |

"So why were you in that house?" I handed Tiffany a can of beans with a spoon, one of many that Emily and Darren found whilst me and John found this pretty girl.

" I took refugee there..." She looked down at the beans, as if scared to eat it.

"What's wrong?" I sat beside her.

"Uh.. it's nothing." She sighed and took a spoonful of beans and ate it.

"Tell-" I was cut off by an ear shattering scream from Tiffany.

"What the fuck Tiffany?!" I looked at her, eyes wide.

"M-monster! Behind you!" She screamed and attempted to hide behind me as i turned and saw an Infected had entered the factory.

"Whose on guard duty!?" I called out.

"John was but he left to take a leak." Darren looked up from his chair, and saw the infected.

"I got it." I stood and pulled my knife out of a hilt in my belt. Tiffany was still attempting to hide behind me.

"Never killed one before I'm guessin?" Darren looked at her.

"No way! These things terrify me!" She looked as if she was about to burst into tears, she stopped looking scared when she saw me slam the knife into it's skull and it topple.

"All done." I smiled at her and let out a gasp as she hugged me tightly. "What...?"

"My hero..." She smiled as she hugged me.

"Lovebirds..." Darren chuckled and looked down and continued sharpening his knife.

"Shut up!" I hissed at him.

"John's the worst on guard duty." Emily scoffed.

"Tell me bout it..." I sighed. " you can let go now Tiff..."

"Oh.. Uh... Sorry..." She blushed and pulled away.

"You don't know how to kill?" I looked down at her, her being a few inches shorter than me.

"No..." She looked down. "They terrify the living hell out of me."

"Pathetic." Emily mumbled.

"Be nice." Darren scowled at her.

:: ::  
| Stranger POV - Back at Unknown place |

My man Justin just came back and told me he's close to finding her, wondering if he should execute her on the spot. No , I told him, I would handle her myself.

"Sir! Come here quick!" I went out and looked at Justin.

"what is it?" I looked at him.

"We can't go through with searching for her. I'm sorry sir. She can be anywhere by now, we don't even have a lead besides the necklace. It isn't sufficient enough." Justin looked me dead in the eyes.

Pathetic, everyone. Must I do all this shit myself!?

I looked him dead in the eyes, and pulled my pistol out of the holster shooting him through the skull point blank in front of everyone.

"Did he just..." One man mumbled, eyes wide.

"Now you see the gravity of the situation?! You find her, you bring her back! Or every single one of you will be next, got it?!" I called loudly so everyone heard. "You hear me?! Loud and clear?!"

"Loud and clear sir." One man ran to the cars and got in one and drove out.

"Dante?" One woman looked at me.

"What is it?" I scowled at her.

"Just let her go..." The woman begged. "Please? She hasn't done anything to you or anyone..."

"I'm sorry." I walked off, and into my house.

She will be found, even if it kills me. Me - Dante Baron. I will get vengeance. Oh, yes. I will... I will!


	9. Season 2 Chapter 3: Close

| Riley POV... AGAIN |

"You know, saving her, helping her, is gonna come back and bite you in the ass right?" John looked at me.

We were outside, in the forest surrounding the factory, looking for some Infected to lower the numbers, just me and John.

"Yeah, well if it does, it does." I sighed.

"She can't kill, man. Sooner or later, she'll be the leading cause of your death." John scoffed, walking off.

"What are you saying, huh?! Am I hearing you clear? Are you saying I just can't take care of myself?" I looked him dead in the eyes, as he turned to me.

"Don't put words in my mouth. Don't! I'm saying _she_ can't take of herself, her! Not you! I know _you_ can. She can't, she's a liability." John shook his head. "And your just so gaga over her, you can't see it!"

"'Gaga'?! I'm 'Gaga' over her? What does that even mean?!" I tried to refrain from yelling.

"Your in love, it's obvious. I see it, Emily sees it, Darren, your mom, Krystal. And hell, i know for certain Tiffany sees it." John smirked.

"What? You don't think I can protect her, and my family? Is that it?" I scowled, and he simply nodded. "You appointed me leader, I'm trying my best."

"Maybe I was wrong, maybe we need a new leader." John scoffed, walking off.

"New leader?!" I walked after him. "You think you can do better, go right ahead! I'm done being the leader, the weight is killing me!"

"They won't listen to me. They trust you more than me, a lot more." John walked back the way we came to the factory.

"Idiot..." I mumbled, following him.

"How'd it go?" Lauren walked to us, once we got back.

"Good. Good..." I glared at John, who simply shrugged.

I walked back to where I left Tiffany, who was sitting in a chair, talking to Darren.

"Darren, mind if I talk to Tiff alone?" I looked at him, and he stood, walking off.

"What is it Riley?" She looked up at me.

"John seems to think your a liability. But you won't be a liability okay?" I looked her dead in the eyes.

"Liability? what, cause I can't kill undead assholes?" Tiffany seemed to think this was some kind of joke.

"Yeah, he thinks you'll get me killed if i keep helping you." I sighed.

"But I need someone strong to protect me... I can't fight..." She looked down.

"I know and I will protect you okay Tiff?" I hugged her suddenly, which made her gasp, eyes widening.

"T-thanks..." She gently hugged back, then we pulled away, and smiled.

Maybe John was right. Maybe I do like this girl... She's cute, innocent... and Nice... I just met her, but I feel a strong connection to her... Like she's my other half. I... I love Tiffany! What the hell is wrong with me?! I just met her!

:: ::  
| Dante POV - Unknown Place |

We are close to finding that girl, why would she leave huh? Why?

"Dante!" My assistant, Amanda ran in.

"Yes, Amanda?" I looked at her.

"I think I know where that girl is..." Amanda breathed.

"where?" I stared.

"Inside an old house, we found her bracelet in a closet... She must've dropped it, she couldn't of gone far!" Amanda winced as i stood.

"Show me." I looked at her and she ran to her car and got in, I got in the passengers seat.

:: ::

At the house, I saw the door was kicked in.

"Someone else was here?" I looked at Amanda

"Yes sir." Amanda entered the house with me following.

Upstairs we saw four dead Rotters, and the closet door had a huge hole in it.

"They got her?" I looked at Amanda.

"No. Her corpse isn't here, she escaped." Amanda sighed. "What was her name sir. You never told me, she left before I joined, correct?"

"Yeah, her name was Tiffany Redi." I sighed. "A bitch."

"Cute name." Amanda giggled.

"Shut up. We need to find her." I walked off, with her following.

"I'll search a few miles round here sir. Okay?" Amanda got in her car, I got in beside her.

"I'm going with you." I smirked.

:: ::  
| Riley POV - At the Factory |

"Tiffany, you never told me, were you with a group before... us?" I looked at her.

"One." Tiffany looked down.

"What happened?" Darren walked up, everyone was watching her, except Willy who was on guard duty.

"It was run by a mad man, by the name of Dante Baron. He's a cruel, cold, heartless sociopath." Tiffany looked close to tears as she spoke.

"what did he do?" John looked at her.

"You know the Rotters?" Tiffany looked up.

"You mean the Infected?" I looked at her.

"Yeah, I guess... He didn't just kill them you know?" Tiffany looked down. "He mutilated them. Ripped arms, legs, heads off them... He treats them like they were never human to begin with you know?"

"What the fuck?" Emily stared at her, shocked.

"What else does Dante do?" Darren knelt by her.

"He was my boyfriend... Okay? I also left because he tried to rape me..." Tiffany suddenly burst into tears. I wrapped my arm around her, trying to soothe her.

"Shh.. Shh.. Tiffany, it's okay, he can't hurt you now..." I whispered to her.

"Are you crazy?!" She suddenly screamed, which shocked everyone.

"What?" I stared at her.

"He's hunting me down, me being with you has put all of you in danger. Once he finds me, he will kill all of you, then take me back..." Tiffany looked down, sniffling.

"I knew it..." John mumbled, earning a extra hard smack from Emily.

"Shut it!" Emily hissed.

"We can handle him. We are tough..." Darren smirked.

"You can't beat him, he's too smart..." Tiffany looked down.

"Too... Too smart? You underestimate us honey." I smiled.

"Honey?" John chuckled suddenly, making everyone including Tiffany look at me.

"No. I was just saying..." I broke off, as Tiffany screamed again and hid behind me.

"Whats wrong?!" Darren stood.

She pointed out the door and we saw a car drive past.

"That's Amanda's car, one of Dante's assistants..." Tiffany whispered.

"Oh no, Willy's out there, they'll spot him!" Darren suddenly ran to the front door without waiting for anyone to reply.

Darren ran out, and we heard him whispering to Willy to either hide or come inside. A few seconds later, Willy and Darren snuck back in and ducked behind the walls.

"The girl almost spotted us, she looked at us just as we hid..." Darren breathed.

"The man too, skinny, deep dark beard... dark eyes..." Willy breathed.

"That's... Dante..." Tiffany breathed.

"Damn! We should've shot the tires out when we had a chance..." Darren punched the wall in anger.

"Calm down." Lauren tried to calm Darren.

Just as Darren was about to speak, we heard a car engine rev.

"Oh shit..." Tiffany started hyperventilating.

"Quick! Emily, take Krystal and Tiffany to the top level okay? Hide there, be quiet okay?" I ordered.

"Yeah..." Emily ran up the stairs, gently tugging Krystal after her, and I looked at Tiffany.

"Follow her, trust me. We will protect you." I hugged Tiffany as she hugged back and ran after Emily and Krystal.

The woman and man walked in, both smiling innocently.

"Hello." The man, Dante spoke, with a deep voice.

* * *

**AN: CLiffhanger anyone? :)**


	10. Season 2 Chapter 4: Found?

**AN: WHOO this is gonna be a doozy so get ready, I got big plans for this chap :D *evil laugh***

* * *

| Riley POV -Factory |

"Hello." Dante said as he entered with the girl Amanda.

"How are you?" I stepped foward, trying to act casual.

"What do you want?" Darren spat, I shot a glare at him, warning him to be silent.

"We're looking for a girl. Goes by the name of Tiffany. Know her?" Dante spoke, casually.

"No. Why are you after her?" John looked at him.

"She's Dangerous." Amanda spoke.

"She'll say whatever she has to, to get on your good side, then she'll backstab you." Dante spat. "Did it to me..."

"We'll tell you if we see anything." I smiled.

"I bet you will... Mind if we check around for a bit?" Dante looked at me.

"Yes, we do mind." John scowled at him.

"Your hiding something if you mind it." Amanda hissed at John.

"You'll have to leave now." I pointed to the door.

"Not till we thoroughly search this place. Her bracelet was seen near here." Dante spoke, reaching into his back pocket.

"You can't do that." Willy scowled at him.

Suddenly without warning we heard a loud gunshot, and Willy toppled over, a round bullet hole in his forehead. Dante was holding a gun, aiming at him.

"That will teach you to talk back to me. Now i'll search." Dante went to walk but Darren suddenly grabbed him by the arm.

"You asshole." Darren mumbled as he swung a punch but it was easily blocked and Darren was kicked down.

"Next time I won't let you walk away from here." Dante smirked, walking again.

"Riley, do something..." John whispered to me.

Rebecca was kneeling by her husband, crying."

"Like wha... I got it..." I whispered back. "When Krystal was very young we had a secret code whenever we did something bad to signal the other one to run... I just hope she hears it..."

"Good luck..." John whispered.

"Hey! You two, girl and guy! What would you do if I _run away_?" I called, putting a ton of emphasis on 'run away'.

"Kill you, simple." Dante smirked.

"How will they escape?" John whispered.

"There's a window upstairs, not too high, let's just hope none of them are scared of heights." I joked, trying to make light of the situation.

Dante started heading up the stairs.

Come on Krystal... Come on... Please... Your fate lies in your own hands, make me proud...

"What was that about?" Lauren looked at me, whispering.

"You'll see. I hope..." I whispered back.

"All clear!" Dante called from upstairs.

"No one's up there?" Amanda called back to him.

"Yeah, let's leave!" Dante started heading down stairs then.

"Good bye." I scowled at him.

"If I found out you lied to me, I'll come back here and slaughter you all. Got that?" Dante shot daggers at me.

"Deal." I mumbled sarcastically.

As soon as Dante's and Amanda's car disappeared from view, Krystal, Tiffany, and Emily ran back in.

"Krystal..." Lauren ran and hugged her daughter,

"Riley, you remembered our code..." Krystal looked at me.

"Of course I did..." I smiled.

"D-dad..." Emily looked at Rebecca and the now dead Willy.

"Dante did it."John sighed.

"It's my fault for coming here..." Tiffany backed away.

"No it's not." I looked at her. "He woulda came anyway, looking for you. Even if you hadn't come here."

I looked at Emily, and saw something I thought I'd never see. The strong, brave, occasionally mean person was... Crying. She finally got broken down...

"Emily..." John walked to her, and everyone stared at him.

"What the hell do you want?" Emily dried her tears trying to act strong.

"You can't fool me, I saw the tears Emily. Here..." He suddenly wrapped his arms around her, hugging her, trying to comfort her.

Emily looked at him, angrily for a few moments, and everyone was scared she'd slap him, and everyone was shocked when she started to sob into his shirt.

"Shh... It's okay Emily... You don't have to be strong all the time." John whispered to her.

"I will find that son of a bitch... And kill him..." Emily managed between sobs.

"We all want that." I crossed my arms.

"We can't just go in and execute all his people, their innocent, just following him." Darren looked at me.

"We also don't know how many people he has." Lauren sighed.

"About 15, when I left." Tiffany spoke suddenly.

"I'll protect you, make sure you don't end up at his camp again okay?" I embraced her, as she hugged me tightly back, not letting go.

"You know where his camp is though right?" Darren looked at her.

"Yes, why?" Tiffany stared at him.

"We're going in, soon. Not today, we need rest, and need time to bury Willy." Darren looked at Willy sadly. "He was my best friend, I will avenge you."

:: ::

| Dante POV - Camp |

"That was a dead end." Amanda crossed her arms.

"I don't think so... It's what that kid said, he emphasised run away... Was he giving a signal?" I sighed, rubbing my forehead.

"If he was, that just means we have to kill them right?" Amanda looked at me.

"Right." I smiled.

"She will be found." Amanda walked out.

Yes she will, or I will die trying. Amanda's loyal, but her usefullness is running thin. I might need to dispose of her soon, she found crucial evidence, but she's not strong, I don't know yet, man... I might need to go back to that factory when their not expecting it, alone. No car so they don't hear us... And see if we spot her.


	11. Season 2 Chapter 5: A Warning

| Dante POV |

The deadline is coming up, on my plan. I think I know what needs to be done. There's a man in camp, goes by the name of De. No one knows his real name... He has a sniper rifle, I could hide and scope out the factory, see if I spot her. Worth a shot.

I stepped out of my building, spotted the man, shining his lead pipe, which was his most used weapon.

"Hey De?" I walked to him.

"What?" He looked up at me.

"You still got that sniper Rifle." I looked down at him.

"Yeah, why? You gonna hunt? Maybe kill some innocents?" De smiled.

"Shut up, where is it?" I scowled at him.

"I... Oh shit, I lost it..." De groaned. "Why you need it?"

"It's about that group in the factory, their dangerous. Their gunning for us." I sighed. "And sooner or later, they'll kill us all."

"Tiffany there?" De looked at me.

"I think so." I looked him dead in the eyes.

"I lost it, I'm sorry." De frowned.

"Useless..." I mumbled as I walked away.

:: ::

|Riley POV - At Factory |

"Tiffany?" I walked to the girl, sitting near Darren.

"Yeah?" She smiled up at me.

"We may have to take actions against Dante and his men, kill them all." I sighed. "That okay with you?"

"Do what needs to be done, as long as he's as far away from me, I'm happy..." Tiffany looked up at me, and I wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug.

"I'll do anything to protect you, Tiff. You know that." I mumbled.

"Promise?" She looked me in the eyes.

"Yes." I whispered, seeing Darren had left, to guard duty, to leave us time to be alone.

We heard gunshots outside where Darren was, and Tiffany wrapped her arms tighter around me, shaking with fright.

"Don't worry, he's just killing Infected..." I soothed her.

"Promise he's not, like, shooting Dante's men or something...?" Tiffany looked at me, eyes wide.

"Yes. I promise, Tiff." I slowly let go of her, and smiled. "I gotta go check on Emily, see how she's taking her dad being dead now, okay?"

:: ::

|De POV - Dante's camp |

I need to get out, warn that camp. Dante's gunning for that girl, he wants her dead. I need to find out where this factory is, warn them... It's around midnight now, Dante's asleep, I can sneak out. The tough part is, he has two guards stationed at both exits... I need to find out how to sneak past them. Maybe just telling them what Dante's planning, they'll come with me.

I approached one of the guards, Shawn.

"What are you doing? The curfew was a few hours ago." Shawn hissed at me.

"I need to leave, Dante's planning to kill everyone at the factory." I looked him straight in the eyes.

"He's the leader, he never steered us wrong before, if he deems that right, I say go for it." Shawn smiled.

"I'm sorry..." I mumbled as I swung my pipe, knocking him out cold.

First I will head east, I know there's an old run down factory there, about fifty miles away, they might be there. If Tiffany _is _there, she's safe. They must be nice, to let her in, and she trusts them otherwise she would have left.

I snuck out the small enterance, and started running east, taking with me only my pipe, and some food, in case I'm wrong.

I found the factory, saw a grown man, guarding it, shotgun in hand. I clutched a rock threw it toward a tree and the man aimed as it made a loud noise.

"Damn squirrels..." The man mumbled.

I looked as a boy a little younger stepped out.

"Your relieved Darren, I got it." The boy looked at him and smiled as he went in, then groaned and leaned on the wall boredly, shining his handgun.

He seems nice, I can take him. The man I wasn't sure, but him I am sure.

"Hey!" I called out as I walked out.

"Who are you?!" He aimed at me.

"De... and you are?" I looked at him.

"I ain't sayin'! Leave now!" He moved his finger to the trigger.

"Wait! Please! I'm a friend!" I begged him, dropping my pipe and food.

The boy just looked at me, unspeaking for a few moments then...

"Riley! We got someone out here! Says his name is De!" The boy called in.

"Bring him in, John but don't take your eyes off him!" The boy I guessed was Riley called out.

"Come with me." He backed into the building and I slowly followed.

The moment I entered I saw the man, Darren, with the boy I guessed was Riley, and... Tiffany.

"Tiffany?!" I looked at her.

"De! It _is_ you!" Tiffany smiled at me.

"You two know eachother?" Darren looked at Tiffany.

:: ::

| Riley POV - Factory |

"He was with Dante's group as second in command..." TIffany looked at him, smiling.

"What?!" Darren aimed at him suddenly with his shotgun.

"Lower that piece of shit before I shove it up your ass!" De suddenly snapped.

"Darren! Not now! Just not now!" I ordered him to lower it.

"Your lucky, jackass..." Darren mumbled.

"Like a horseshoe." De mumbled, sarcastically. "Riley, your the leader I guess?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"You need to leave, Dante's gunning for Tiffany, he won't stop till he kills her and the rest of you!" De begged us to leave.

"We can take him." John crossed his arms.

"You can't, you have how many people, including Tiffany?" De looked at me.

"Nine." I crossed my arms.

"Your outnumbered! He has fifteen, not including me, and Dante." De pleaded.

"We are staying." I looked at him.

"You can stay too." Tiffany looked at him. "Meet the family, that's Darren, John and my boyfriend Riley."

"Boyfriend?" I looked at her.

"Uh, did I say that outloud?" She blushed.

"Nevermind. Over there, sleeping is Lauren, my mom. Krystal, my sister. and Valerie and Rebecca." I pointed. "Hey. Where's Emily?"

"She left, to clear her head, about ten minutes before Mr. Dante's henchman came." John joked.

"Riley?" Krystal had woken up, and was standing a few feet away. "Whose that man?"

"Oh hey little girl..." De knelt by her, smiling.

"A friend. Helping us stop Dante, is that correct?" I looked at De.

"Yes." De stood, and walked back to us.

"I got a plan." I looked at him. "You go back to Dante's camp, before he wakes. Join in the attack, you'll know what to do next."

"How will I know..." De looked at me.

"You will, the human mind has a way of... making you see things clearer, making you know what to do. And whether you wanna do what its telling you to do, or not. Is entirely up to you."I smiled, and winked at him. "Go back now."

De backed away, then turned, running back into the forest, holding his pipe.

"He's trustworthy, he won't tell Dante I'm here." Tiffany wrapped her arm around my shoulders.

"I hope your right Tiff." I sighed and hugged her.

"Let's leave them be, John." Darren walked off, with John, who was smiling.

"So what was that, about boyfriend? Don't we have to talk bout that first Tiff?" I looked at her.

"Well, I mean sure... John told me you liked me and all, so I thought it wouldn't be a problem..." Tiffany looked down, pulling away.

"John told you what?" I looked at her. "I didn't tell him shit."

"So, he lied?" She looked at me, frowning.

"Well, not entirely, Tiffany." I looked down at her, and smiled. "I do like you, I just never told him that. Was it that obvious?"

"Not really, I never expected it." She giggled

"Good." I smiled. "Wait, so are we..."

"Boyfriend and Girlfriend?" TIffany blushed. "Sure, I guess so."

I leant to her, and gently kissed her lips, pulling away after a few moments.

"Good." I mumbled, blushing hard.

"It's late, I'm going to sleep. See ya tomorrow Riley." She kissed my cheek and walked off.

Did that just happen... and what was with that De guy? He doesn't seem trusting... Tiffany seems to trust so he must be alright. I need rest... Today was a hectic day. I guess we'll find out eventually if De is true to his word. I hope it wasn't the wrong call... Trusting him.


	12. Season 2 Chapter 6: The Attack Nears

**AN: Sorry for no update - and terrible title, I know. This is a slow chapter - but next one will make up for it ;P**

* * *

| Riley POV - Street a few miles northeast of Factory, with John and Darren, went to scavenge whatever supplies could be found - 3 days after meeting De |

"So you think there's any chance we could win against his fifteen men?" Darren looked at me and John.

"I don't know, I hope." John sighed. "Riley, what do you say?"

"We will, we have to, for Tiffany." I clenched my fists. "Dante will pay for what he has done to her, I will make him."

"Ever since you two started dating, you've been way more protective of her." John raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, well, I love her, can you blame me?" I chuckled, cheeks starting to burn.

"Puppy Love." John chuckled.

"Shut up, leave him alone." Darren scowled at John.

"I'm just sayin- Oh look!" John pointed, we saw a house with a few Infected scattered around it.

"What?" I looked at him.

"Let's look for supplies there, it's overrun so no one else probably cleared it out." John smiled.

"By that logic, half the world should be littered with supplies." I mumbled.

"It's worth a shot, Riley." Darren looked at me.

"Fine, whatever." I scoffed.

I unsheathed my pocket knife out of it's hilt, and gripped the handle, I looked at Darren, who cocked his pistol, and John, who took out his own Pocket knife.

"Stay together, Don't separate." I hissed at my partners.

"Deal." John whispered back.

We approached the house and an Infected with a missing ear lunged at us, I kicked it in the gut, causing it to fall back, and I lunged the knife downward into it's forehead.

"John behind you!" I called, as an Infected with half of it's face torn off, reached for John and he ducked under it's hands, stabbing it repeatedly through the side of the head.

"I got this one!" Darren called as he fired a single bullet into one's head, then another, and another.

"Conserve the ammo! We need them for Dante!" I swung my knife into the final one's head.

"Let's check it out!" John called as he ran in without a second word.

"Wait!" I called, as me and Darren followed him.

We found him stopped by a door, staring into the room awestruck.

"What...?" I looked in.

What I saw, made me want to puke up my guts. A pile of bodies, skin burnt off, showing only bone. Blood splattering the walls. The smell here was worst than any smell I had ever smelt before, even the Infected didn't stack up to this - this horror... The smell made me barely able to not puke.

Darren wasn't so lucky. He turned away and puked on the wall.

"What happened..." John breathed.

"Isn't it obvious? The people outside - the ones we killed, tried to make a stand here. They got overrun." I looked down.

"Let's go back, their gonna start to worry about us." John began walking out.

"Yeah..." Me and Darren followed him.

| Dante POV - His camp |

If Tiffany had never left me, maybe she and all those - those pathetic, weak people would have survived, at least a while longer. Now, cause of her, I have to kill her AND them.

"Sir, the car's are ready for attack." My man, Jonathan entered.

"De in one of them?" I looked at Jonathan.

"Yes sir, why?" Jonathan looked at me, confused.

"I need him for the attack, he's tough - a good soldier." I smirked.

Truth be told, I don't trust him here alone, no telling what he's capable of. I don't trust him much more than I can throw him - sounds cliche I know, but true nonetheless.

"Okay we attack at break of dawn tomorrow, no later. Okay?" I looked at Jonathan.

"Yes sir." He left to tell the rest of the soldiers.

| Riley POV - Back at the factory |

"Riley, we can't stay here - when Dante comes, he will slaughter us, without any hesitation..." Valerie pleaded with me to let us leave.

"We can't he'll just find us again. And where would we go anyway? This place blessed us." I looked at her.

"Not if we head to the coast like we originally planned." Lauren looked at me, from where she was with Krystal, and Darren.

"We aren't cowards, we stand and fight." I spat out. "It's done, no more discussion."

"Riley... Listen to them, their right, we can't beat Dante." Even John was pleading with me now.

"We can't run, it's too late." I looked down, and walked away.

To be truthful, the reason I want to stay and fight, is to see this bastard die. He hurt Tiff, both physically and emotionally, and for that, he has to pay. He's gotta.

When the attack comes, we will be ready, and we will win, I'm sure of it.


	13. Season 2 Chapter 7: Betrayal

| Riley POV - Field just behind the factory |

"You wanted to speak with me?" I looked at the small girl standing before me - my sister had seen death in this world. Everyone she knew was dead, or dying.

Even me.

Maybe not on the outside - but I died on the inside, long ago. My mom is no different, though she hides it well...

If Krystal, John, mom, or Tiffany ever... disappeared. I don't know what I'd do... Their my lifelines...

"John told me Dante's coming today..." Krystal looked at me terrified.

"We'll hear them before we see them, and when we do, Tiffany will take you and Valerie to someplace safe. I promise. You trust Tiffany, right?" I looked down at her.

"I do... she's like a big sister to me..." Krystal smiled. "Maybe one day she _will_ be a sister to me, you know what I mean?"

"Shut up..." I mumbled.

What is with everyone? She's my girlfriend, not my wife. What's the big fucking deal?

|De POV - His camp |

"We attack in an hour." Dante walked to me, and Jonathan.

"You sure? They might know we plan to attack..." I looked at Dante, worriedly.

"Trust the leader, De." Jonathan scowled at me.

"I'm just sayin." I smirked where they couldn't see.

"Get the men ready, we will kill them all. Tiff, and the rest." I walked off.

|Riley POV - 5 minutes before the impending attack... |

"You ready Darren? They'll be here any minute." John spoke, as we approached the man.

"Yes. When though?" Darren looked at me.

"I don't know." I sighed.

"RILEY!" A voice screamed from outside.

"De..." I heard Tiffany breathe from afar.

"It's them..." I mumbled.

We heard car engines revving, feet running. Guns cocking.

"Everyone to positions!" John called.

"Tiffany run... Get Krystal and Val and run..." I looked at her and she did so but as she opened the back door she was confronted by three of Dante's men.

"Shit..." I mumbled

"Grab them!" Dante was in the front doorway now.

The men grabbed the three girls.

"Let them go!" I screamed at Dante.

"No." Dante smirked.

I drew my gun on him, but I looked around, seeing all his men aim at me. I lowered the gun in shame.

"We need to make an example men!" Dante smirked. "Sacrfice one of the girls. Not Tiff though, she needs to suffer."

"Krystal!" Lauren cried.

"I know which." One of the men smiled, and put his gun to Valerie's head, pulling the trigger.

"Val!" I screamed, I had grown fond of the girl.

"You monster!" Lauren screamed at Dante.

"Now, now girl. Is that any way to speak to your killer? Huh?" Dante smiled.

"Stop this, Dante! I'll go back to you! Please just stop!" Tiffany cried.

"Too late for that, bitch!" Dante screamed at her.

"Don't call her that!" I suddenly screamed.

"Oh? Getting Defensive now are we?" Dante smiled. "Just for that little outburst, your next."

He raised his gun at me, and I closed my eyes, waiting for what was to come. Nothing happened.

"Huh..." I looked at Dante.

I saw him catching the fist of... De. De had swung a punch at him, saving me.

"De...?" Tiffany breathed.

Everyone of Dante's men aimed at De.

"Protect De!" I called to John, Darren, and Emily.

Darren raised his machine gun, at the men, and hesitantly fired, trying his best to miss De.

"Stop! Or I will slit these whore's throats!" Dante's men holding Krystal and Tiff, roared.

"Don't you dare!" I screamed at them.

"I will!" He put his knife to Krystal's neck.

"Stop!" I screamed.

Suddenly he gasped and fell to his knees, holding his privates, I saw that Krystal had kicked him in the nuts hard.

The other two men aimed at Krystal and Tiff.

"I got Dante and his assholes over here, save your girlfriend and your sister, Riley." John looked at me from where he was ducking behind a wall, and poking his head out shooting.

I nodded at him and ran to where Krystal and Tiff were being held.

"Not another step." One of the men spoke slowly. "Another step and these girls brains will be splattered all over the place!"

"Your weak! Picking on weak and defenseless people. If you had any balls at all, you'd fight someone your own size and strength." I taunted.

"Shut up! Another word and the same outcome." The other man smiled.

"Please... Riley... Don't let them kill me..." Krystal pleaded with me.

| De POV - The fight with Dante. |

"I knew you were a traitor and backstabber!" Dante swung a punch at me but I caught it, and kicked him down.

"Better than being a weak and spineless jellyfish!" I screamed and tried to stomp on him but he rolled away.

"Weak? Is this weak?" He swung a punch, hitting me hard in the gut, I stumbled back, gasping for breath.

"You would risk... Killing a little girl?" I motioned to Krystal.

"She's not my little girl, why should I care." He smiled.

"Your pathetic." I tackled him into the wall, and punched him across the face.

"At least I'm not a traitor!" He kneed me in the gut and I fell back. He got on top of me, punching me in the face numerous times before I finally kicked him off me.

I wiped blood off my now broken nose.

"We both know, I'm stronger..." I breathed and ran at him, tackling him to the ground.

| Riley POV - Trying to negotiate his sister and girlfriends lives |

"Have a heart... Spare them." I looked at the 2 men, the third one stood up again.

"KIll the little bitch first..." The third one mumbled.

"Don't call... her that..." I breathed, losing my temper.

"What? Your sisters a little bitch. So what?" The man smiled.

"Don't call her that!" I screamed and ran at the man, tackling him down, pulling my gun from the holster, shooting him point blank, I then turned to the other men.

"1 down, 2 more assholes to go." I smirked and aimed shooting one. I dropped the gun.

The man put his gun to Krystal's head, and moved his finger to the trigger.

"Not so fast." A familiar voice spoke, I looked and saw my mom, aiming her pistol at the man.

"Hey come on guys... You wouldn't kill a fellow survivor now would you?" The man joked.

"I got this." I walked to the man, unsheathing my knife. He backed away, shaking his head.

I tackled him, and put the knife to his throat.

"How it feel, huh boy?" I smirked, and stabbed it straight through his throat, and stood up, watching him gag on his own blood.

"let him choke." I walked off, picking up my gun and knelt by Krystal and Tiff.

"You two okay?" I asked them. Tiff hugged me but Krystal looked scared of me for a few moments.

"It's okay Krystal, It's me... your brother..." I looked at her and she shook her head, looking at the man still gagging.

"She's scared you might snap again and do that to her I think..." Tiff looked at me, and then looked at Krystal. "It's okay, he wouldn't ever snap at you Krys..."

I looked back at the gunfight happening at the front, Darren ducking behind a box, with two of Dante's men closing in on him, John and Emily hiding together, with more of Dante's men closing in.

"We're outnumbered..." Lauren breathed.

I aimed my pistol at the two men near Darren and fired a bullet into one of their heads, and the other aimed at me, which gave Darren an opportunity to end him.

"Thanks Riley!" Darren called.

I nodded at him and aimed at the men near John and Emily, firing shots into them.

John and Emily stood up and fired at them afterwards.

John flashed me a thumbs up and Emily just rolled her eyes.

|De POV - The fight with Dante |

"You don't stand a chance boy..." Dante smirked and punched me in the gut, i stumbled back, then groaned.

"Your about as tough and threatening as a house cat..." I mumbled, and kicked him hard in the gut, causing him to fall down.

"Look around Dante. Your losing." I smiled.

He looked around, seeing most of his men were dead.

"Oh my god... It's impossible." Dante breathed.

"And your next." I grabbed him by the head and with one quick motion, snapped his neck.

|Riley POV - The gunfight |

I just saw De snap Dante's neck. We did it - we won. Not yet, there were still more of his men left. Now they were furious.

"Hey fuckers!" I called to them. "Over here!"

They aimed at me but John, Emily, and Darren shot them all dead.

"We did it." I screamed. "We won!"

"De!" Tiffany ran and hugged him.

"Tiff... I couldn't watch this fucker kill you..." De mumbled.

"You saved Riley... Thank you..." She let go of him and smiled.

"Let's celebrate for now, then move the bodies out." I smiled.

And with that, Dante's dastardly plan to kill the girl, Tiffany, the boy, Riley, and the rest of the group backfired, because of one heroic and trustworthy person, De.

* * *

**AN: Season 2 - Done, in a review I am curious - whose your fave char of my story, AND your fave char of the tv show**


	14. Season 3 Ch 1: God

| Tiffany's POV |

I crawled up near the staff bathroom with Krystal and Riley, My supporting cast, obviously. They killed that woman. I didn't know her, but it was traumatizing.

It was so scary. John was so soulless when he.. he just.

I knew she was crazy, and attacking us but... that was her choice. Her role.

He didn't need to kill that girl like that.

"Riley."

"We need.. we need to get rid of the, uh..." Looking over to Krystal for a moment, who had sat down next to Riley and me. I hushed my voice, looking at Riley.

"B-o-d-i-e-s" I was spelling out the words, whispering. I really was hoping Krystal didn't hear that... She was so young. Krystal... was the Innocence of the group. That was her role. I didn't need to ruin that. Without her innocence Riley wouldn't have motivation, and I would have no boyfriend. That means that I wouldn't be the adorable little main-character with a troubled past and a hot boyfriend.

Then again, that's just my life.

-CHAPTER 13-

| Emily's POV |

I was aiming my gun. One shot. That's all it would take.  
Shit.

Maybe two shots.  
Everyone else was sleeping in while I was out here wasting my bullets and making noise. Riley and Lauren were the only ones awake and it seemed like a good time to pick off Infected. It was stupid of me, basically a death sentence. So, in normal fashion, I moved away, bringing Infected with me. It was better than bringing _them_ with me. I don't know why I did this every night. It was strange. Almost as if it caused stress to go away.

They killed so many fucking people. Millions. I wouldn't be surprised if I died to their filthy hands.

"Bitch, stay angry."

"I guarantee you, isn't gonna be Valerie or Krystal who's gonna die first."

I didn't want to hit her. Or anyone.

"Bitchy,bitch, " was kinda all I heard, cause she was acting like she just learned was bitch means and was throwing it around like crazy. It didn't matter.

But instead of more moaning, I heard something else. Something freaky.

Someone yelling. Someone was yelling at me. I knew I shouldn't have done this in broad daylight.

"Emily!"

Shooting one more, then running up the hill, as Lauren emerged into my line of view. Of course I was blushing, I was a round fire truck. I was waiting for a lecture, but I never got one. She just stared at me for a moment.

"Be careful, and stay here while doing that. Try to use your pistol, and be as accurate as possible." That was the thing that confused me.

So I nodded in embarrassment and ran back, seeing her leave as well. It was a short and strange meeting, which was with a woman who obviously wasn't too fond of me, contrary to what I hoped. Though she was nice to me, for the 5 minutes that we talked at a time, I could see it in her face.

I was mean to practically everyone, and I'm even surprised I haven't been called on it yet before that Tiffany girl. At least she's fucking honest. I couldn't stop it. I would be the first to kill. Everyone knows and they insist on letting me stay? It made me mad. Everything made me mad. Kinda how It works. I wasn't that blind.

I kept nodding to myself before pushing down an Infected and improving my aim. I could at least improve my aim while doing the most random shit ever. I pulled

nothing happened. It just clicked. Honestly, I panicked. I kept aiming and trying to shoot. Causing more Infected to come near me. They came from all around and mostly from the hill. Which was really worrying. Eventually I knifed my way through, but I realized...

I went the wrong way and I couldn't go back. Running was the only option. Further into the forest.

Until I couldn't run anymore. I was just huffing and puffing like the big bad fucking wolf, but there was more. A feeling of nausea. It was quick and passed when I reached a cabin. I could feel my eyes turning in my head for a moment while I thought I had cut myself on something or whatever.

Then everything went black.

| ?'s POV |

"Should we go after her?"

"No. she'll be back. Stop worrying yourself Lauren." She was going to get lost, and I knew that. I even hoped she would get lost. It would take longer to find her body.

Emily would pass out from the drugs soon, and it was basically walker season. There had to be an Infected somewhere anyways. They would eat her. Her gun only had five shots anyways.

They had to eat her or the plan wouldn't work. She was too strong, but I knew her weakness. I knew what she does behind the factory. Riley had to go too. He had his sister. Krystal. So to kill him, I needed to kill her. The woman in my presence would fall after that. I could see it in her eyes, Lauren was weak. If she died too, Riley would have no will to live. Tiffany would make him, of course. My plans for her were no different. Her weakness was selfishness and ignorance.

I knew how she felt about the world. She thought she was the queen, but she wasn't. I was basically the only ruler. I controlled the place, despite what Riley and Tiffany thought. I just made everything go my way.

It was me.

Valerie's death wasn't unnecessary. I had It planned. I knew how many men there was going to be. I knew where they were going to hide or run. It made an impact on the group. That was what I had my head around. Emily would be in brief grief, and even if she didn't know, with the drugs and Valerie's death, it equals depression. Even if only slightest, she would have forgotten how many rounds she could use, and end up using them all.

I planned it.

No one even has a thought about me being the bit of the group to be the leader. They don't know I choose their fate, their life, and how long they have. I'm god. I am.

And Emily's probably dead already.

* * *

**AN: Btw thanks to my friend Derpimelt1000 for helping me with this! :D**


	15. Season 3 Ch 2: New Girl

| ?'s POV |

Their all dead... Everyone. Everyone I ever knew... Charlie, Philip, Abby, Ruby... Everyone.

They came out of nowhere, in the thousands, slaughtered them all... Why was I spared?

I look around at the corpses of all my friends around me, remember them all, who they were... They were good people, there was no reason for this killing. When I find the sick bastard who did this, created this virus... I will end him.

I need to leave, they might return. Where to go? I don't know. I'll run and run and run... and survive...

My name is Violet Hunter, and I'm a survivor.

| Emily POV |

I woke in the cabin with a splitting headache.

"Ugh... Where the fuck am I..." I mumbled.

I stood up and looked around and heard slight scratching at the door as the bastards were vainly trying to get in.

I looked at my knife, then my gun.

"Fuck... I'm out of ammo. Fucking great..." I groaned as i slid the gun back into it's holster.

"By now, Riley and the others will of noticed I'm gone and come to look for me... Right? Or will they leave me for dead..." I groaned. "Assholes..."

I leaned against the back wall, and let all my emotions explode at all. I threw my gun with all my force at the wall making a loud _THUD_ noise. I buried my face in my legs and did the one thing I never do around anyone: Cry. Tears were streaming down my face.

I'm gonna die here... This is where it ends... My role ends here.

| ?'s POV |

I look at Riley and Darren on the other side of the room, and smile. Fools, their lives are in my hands and they don't even know it! When I deem them useless, or weak, I kill them silently. Like Emily, and Valerie.

Emily's probably rotting as we speak, drooling. She's an Infected now, I guarentee you.

Riley is weak, he needs to go, after Krystal. It will break my heart to kill her, such a sweet and innocent child. It needs to be done if we want to live. Lauren doesn't suspect a thing, she thinks Emily was an accident - idiot. Rebecca is in tears trying to convince Riley and Darren to look for the girl - her daughter. Emily is tough, but she was untrustworthy. I liked her - I really did, she was my friend.

But she had to go.

Riley looks over at me and smiles a greeting, I smile back weakly, trying to appear depressed about Emily's sudden "disappearance".

Fools - All of them. They know nothing.

| Violet POV |

I ran from the gravesite, brought only the clothes on my back, my special throwin knives and long bow, with the arrows I made for it.

I stare blankly at a cabin I stumbled upon, the drooling beasts were clawing at it, snarling. I could hear faint crying coming from inside.

"Should I leave the kid for bait? No, even I'm not that heartless." I sighed.

"Hey, assholes!" I called. The Beasts turned to me.

I nearly gagged, one was missing an eye, blood just pouring from where the eye was supposed to be.

I strained an arrow to my bow and let it whip as it hit the beast in it's good eye. I pulled my knife out of its holder, and took aim, throwing it with deadly accuracy as it struck another in the middle of the forehead, sticking in.

The crying abruptly stopped and I looked at the door as it slowly opened and a girl walked out, holding her gun pointed straight at me.

"Whoa... Whoa, chill i came to help you..." I lowered my bow and set it on the ground.

"Behind you!" The girl called and I turned in time to stab my knife into the side of a beasts head.

"Whats your name?" I asked her.

"Uh... Emily." She spoke. "I didn't need help though... I coulda handled it myself."

"I'm Violet. And I saw that handling, crying in the cabin huh?" I smiled. "You all alone?"

"No... I'm with a group... I don't know.. I was killing Infected and got lost... I woke up in that cabin there." Emily sighed. "I don't know the way back..."

"Infected? Thats what you call them? That's better than Beasts..." I looked at the girl. "Where is your camp, I'll lead you back."

"I don't need your help..." Emily scoffed.

"Suit yourself." I picked up my bow and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Emily called. "We were at a factory a few miles from here... I don't know what way."

"I know where, I grew up in this town." I smiled. "Follow me." I walked off.

"Why are you helping me?" Emily ran after me.

"I was alone too, and I hope that if I bring home the lost puppy, they'll accept me as a member. Call me a dumb ass for hoping, I don't care." I smiled.

"We might." Emily sighed.

I get the feeling, I'll get along with this girl greatly.

:: ::

After a few minutes of silent walking, I spotted a factory, guarded by an older man, holding a shotgun.

"That it?" I looked at Emily, we were hidden in the forest.

"Yup, that's Darren." Emily ran out. "Darren!"

"Emily?!" Darren called. "Guys! Emily's back!"

Rebecca ran out and hugged her daughter, crying.

"I thought I lost you..." she mumbled.

"Me too, Don't get all sappy on me." Emily mumbled.

"How'd you make it back?" Riley walked out.

"A new girl, saved me." Emily smiled, which kinda shocked everyone, seeing the girl smile. "Hey! Violet come out here!"

I walked out, kinda shy.

"A new girl?" A boy asked.

"Yes, John." Emily scowled at the boy.

"I'm glad your back." John hugged Emily tightly.

"This is a joyful reunion, your probably hungry. I made dinner, come on Emily." Another boy motioned her to follow.

"Thanks De." She smiled at the boy, which again scared everyone except Violet and Lauren.

Everyone went inside, leaving me with John and Riley.

"You saved her?" Riley asked.

"Yes." I answered.

"Why?" John asked me. "You didn't know her, you musta wanted something in return, no?"

"John." Riley scowled at John.

"I'm just asking." John shrugged.

"I was hoping I could join your group." I looked down, waiting for a "no".

"Yes." Riley answered quickly.

"What?!" Me and John both asked, shocked.

"If it wasn't for her, Emily would be dead, show a little respect Johnny." Riley smiled.

"I told you not to call me Johnny!" John groaned. "Whatever."

| ?'s POV |

A new girl huh? That means a change of plans, she's first. She's new, no one will miss her. Except maybe Emily.

Her death won't impact the group at all. Emily got lucky that bitch. Looks like Violet must be the first to go, she's expendable.

Then I can retry to get Emily to die. And this time Violet won't be there to save her. Emily, besides me and De are the toughest mentally. Riley is already close to breaking, only Krystal, Lauren, and Tiff are making him stable, with them gone I can take him out with ease.

It will be quick, and painful. The fool got Valerie killed - well I guess I'm part to blame for that... Heh...

I know what needs to be done. I know.

* * *

**AN: To be continued...**


	16. Season 3 Chapter 3: Breaking Point

| ?'s POV |

"Wake up!" I ordered as I smacked the little girl in front of me.

We were in that cabin Emily and Violet found. I had tied the little girl to a chair, tape over her mouth.

She looked up at me with those pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way... But to weaken that pest, you need to be sacrificed, Krystal..." I pulled my gun out, and cocked it.

Tears started streaming down the young girls cheeks. I pointed the gun point blank at the girls face. I could hear her mumbling like she wanted to speak.

"What's the matter, bitch? Cat got your tongue? Oh its the tape ain't it?" I chuckled.

"I'm... Sorry, Krystal..." My voice was breaking. "I love you, I do... Your sweet... But that Riley pest is too weak to be in charge, but still when he's full strength I even know I can't match him... I need you and your mom out of the way."

She shook her head, crying harder.

I moved my finger to the trigger but couldn't make myself pull it. I suddenly hit her across the face with the butt of the gun, knocking her out.

"Wake up!" I hit her again so she woke.

She looked up at me again, eyes wide.

She started struggling as if she was trying to loosen the ropes. It looked as if she was trying to say _Why?_

"You all thought you played me, huh? But you didn't know while I took all your people's annoyances... I was hiding in the shadows, waiting. Gaining strength to strike like a cobra. I am the living embodiment of your worst fears, Krystal... I am God here, I decide when you live, when you die. And how you die." I smirked.

I dropped the gun and pulled out my knife. Krystal looked at the sharp blade and struggled harder, eyes widening.

"Stop Struggling! This will be much quicker if you'll stop!" I screamed at her. "Fine! As you wish..."

I put the knife to the girls wrists, and pulled it, slitting her wrist. It looked as if she was trying to scream but all that came out was a mumbled.

I'm ready... to take out all the anger I've been feeling since this shit started. All on this girl before me. She's weak, expendable. Violet is tough, I know that. Plus she's buds with Emily now, so they'll be watching eachothers backs.

I punched Krystal across the face and kicked her in the gut making the chair she was in topple. I knelt by the girl.

"Is there something you wanna say huh?" All she did was mumble. "Oh ya, I forgot, you can't."

I laughed and smiled.

"Goodbye." I pulled my gun out, aimed at the girl, and fired a single bullet into her skull.

I untied her from the chair, removed the tape and hid the chair deep in the woods, Trying to cover my tracks.

1 down, 2 to go. Lauren and Tiff...

| Riley POV |

I woke up and saw Krystal wasn't in her usual spot near Tiffany.

"Tiff... Where's Krystal?" I looked at the girl who was sleeping.

"I don't know..." Tiffany woke and stood up. "Krystal!"

"What's wrong?" John got up from where he was asleep.

"Krystal's gone." I was panicking.

"What?!" John's eyes widen. "We have to find her!"

"Krystals... Gone?" Lauren stared at us, trying to hold back tears.

"Yes, where could she be..." I looked around, frantic. I have to find her, I _have_ to!

"Maybe she's in that cabin, she might of gone out to find something. I don't know, if I was her and being hunted down by Infected I would go to that cabin." Emily suggested.

"You did go to that cabin..." Violet mumbled.

"See?" Emily looked at us. "Just go look there."

"Okay. Me, John, Lauren, Tiffany, and Darren will go. De, Emily, Violet, and Rebecca hold up the fort here." I walked to the front door, feeling dizzy from worry.

"Will do." De spoke. "Go find your sister."

"Will do." I smiled at the man, trying to hide the fear now.

:: ::

I kicked open the door to the cabin, gun drawn in case.

I saw my sister on the floor, a bullet hole in her head.

"Krystal..." My voice was breaking. "Krystal!"

"Who... Who did this?!" John clenched his fists.

Lauren knelt by her now deceased daughter and held her body in her arms, crying.

I couldn't find words to speak, so I just turned and left, storming into the woods.

"Riley!" Tiffany called after me.

"Come back, man!" Darren called.

"We already lost Krys we can't lose Riley too, I'll go get him." Tiffany ran after me.

"Riley, hold up!" Tiffany called.

"What... What do you want..." I clenched my fists. "I wanna be alone, okay?"

"I won't let you, you're pissed, I understand that. You loved her and she's gone. I understand, I do. But don't you go shutting me and your mom, and John out. Don't." Tiffany spoke with more certainty than I heard before.

"We will find the sick bastard who did this, I guarentee you." Tiffany looked at me, with anger in her eyes.

"I will find him... When I do... I'll kill him but make him suffer, so he suffers pain worst than death." I grit my teeth.

My stomach was in knots, I felt sick to my very soul. With her gone all I really have left are mom, Tiffany, and John...

"Let's go back, Tiff..." I walked to her and hugged her.

"Do you need a moment?" Tiff looked at me.

"Yeah..." I let my emotions erupt as tears went down my cheeks, I could feel Tiffany's body shaking as tears went down her cheeks too.

After a few moments that felt like hours, I let go.

"Lets go." I wiped my tears away, and smiled weakly, trying to act strong. Truth be told, I felt like crying nonstop for the next century.

:: ::

Back at the cabin I saw Lauren and John covering her body.

"We're gonna bury her behind the factory." Darren looked at me and Tiff as we got back.

"She'd love a proper burial..." I looked down. "She'd want us to be happy, even without her."

"Yeah, she was the most kindhearted person in the group... What kind of sicko could do this?" John looked at her body.

"The kind this world creates." Darren sighed. (Yes i know thats a Walking Dead TV show quote I just love it so much, I couldn't resist using it)

"I'll carry her." I spoke as I lifted up her body. "Let's go."

"Yeah." John sighed.

:: ::

Back at the factory, I was digging a grave behind the factory with De and John helping.

"When I find the sick bastard who murdered this innocent girl... He would wish he was never born..." De mumbled.

"I know." John sighed. "Me too... I will kill the asshole."

"That's deep enough." I stood and picked up her body, lowering it in with De and John helping. We got out of the hole and started to bury her.

Halfway through, I fell to my knees, crying histerically.

"Riley..." John looked at me.

"Why... Why her? Why not me!?" I screamed as I looked at the hole half filled.

The tears suddenly vanished as hatred filled my eyes.

I stood and walked off to the factory.

"You two finish this, I got something I need to do." I walked off.

"Where's he going?" I heard John whisper to De.

"I don't know, he seems pissed." De looked at John. "Let's just finish."

:: ::

I picked up my pistol, loaded it and walked out the front door.

"Where are you going?!" Emily called.

"Out!" I called back.

"He's pissed..." Violet mumbled.

"Can you blame him?" Emily looked at Violet.

"Of course no." Violet shook her head.

:: ::

I went to the cabin, to look for evidence to see if I could nail anyone for the murder.

The only thing I found was the chair hidden in the woods, no fingerprints, besides Krystals.

"The guy who did this was pro." I mumbled.

"Come back Riley..." Tiffany approached me. "The funeral is about to start."

"Okay... I got something I wanna say, Anyhow." I followed her back.

:: ::

At the funeral I approached the dug cave.

"I went out to look for some evidence to point to who did this." I looked around if I could see shock on anyones face. No one had shock. "All I found was a chair deep in the woods."

Still everyone stayed calm. Maybe I was wrong, maybe it _was_ an outsider...

"Krystal if your watching us from Heaven, I want you to know, we will avenge you. There won't be anymore casualities. This guy or girl who did this, I will end him, no hesitation. I will never forget you Krystal, you were gone long before your time was up, no one deserves that..." My voice started cracking towards the end.

I walked away from the grave with John and Tiff following.

"We will avenge her." John put a hand on my shoulder and hugged me.

"Thanks, bro..." I mumbled as I hugged him back.

| ?'s POV |

That night I watched everyone from afar. Fools, all of them. Krystal was easy, I don't know who next, Lauren the bitch, or Tiff the whore...

Guess I'll figure that out later. I feel no guilt, is that bad? Okay, I lied... My stomach feels like I've been through ten rounds with Muhammad Ali. What's done is done. The next death won't be so quick... I will make whoever I do decide to go next suffer. Greatly. Compared to me, Dante was a saint.

* * *

**AN: FINALLY Riley's Breaking point has been reached.**


	17. Season 3 Chapter 4: Again

**AN: Pretty shocker last time eh? Hehehehehe..****.**

* * *

| ?'s POV |

"Hey... Hey, Lauren. I need your help with something." I nudged the woman awake one night, a week after Krystal died.

"W...What... Oh hey... What do you need help?" Lauren looked up at me.

"A herd of Infected I spotted yesterday are dangerously close, I need your help to draw them away." I smiled.

"Alright, lead the way." Lauren smiled.

:: ::

While walking through the woods, I led her to the cabin.

"Where's the Infeced?" Lauren looked at me.

"I lied." I aimed my gun at her.

"Wha... It was you! Your the sick bastard that killed Krystal! And tried to kill Emily!" Lauren spat at me.

"Right you are. Now say your prayers, bitch..." I smirked.

"Dear God... Punish this sicko for me... Make him suffer worse than death..." Lauren smirked.

"Come on, you really believe in God? If God _was_ real, why would we be suffering like this, huh?" I smiled.

"Yes I do." She smiled. "He's making us suffer so assholes like you pay."

"You little..." I sudden punched her across the face. "I never liked you! Ever!"

"You want to kill me, fine. Go ahead, but when Riley finds out, he will kill you ten times worst than a Infected could." She wiped blood off her nose.

"Okay, I will do as told. I'm a good little boy after all." I put my finger to the trigger, aimed at her head, and fired a single shot.

I stuffed her in the cabin, put the chair in the woods like before, and coiled the rope in the corner again.

| Riley POV |

I woke and noticed my mom was gone, I saw John, and Tiffany were sound asleep, and so were Emily and the others, except De who was on watch.

"De!" I ran to him. "Did anyone leave last night?"

"No. I was up all night on guard duty, no one got passed me." He shook his head.

"Damn it! Lauren's gone!" I puinched the wall.

"Calm down, we'll find her man..." De tried to calm me down.

"Okay... me, you, John, and Emily will go... Darren stays back with the others to keep things in order." I sighed and woke John and Emily.

"What?" John looked up at us.

"Lauren's gone, we gotta go - to that cabin." I ran off without waiting for a reply, hearing John, De, and Emily following me.

:: ::

Inside the cabin we found her body.

"Fuck!" I screamed.

"Thats two people in two weeks." John breathed. "It has to be someone they trust to lure them out here..."

"Krystal trusted everyone... Lauren too, except Violet and De - the new people." Emily sighed.

I knelt by my mom, and silently wept.

"We need to find who did this!" I screamed. "Now!"

"We don't have a clue!" John called to me.

"Well find one!" I screamed at him.

"Riley's unstable..." De whispered to Emily.

"Can you blame him? The two people he cares most for in the world in a week." Emily shivers. "Brutal."

"This person must know of RIley's weaknesses... And is exploiting them to weaken him... two of the people he care about are dead... Only Tiffany left." De whispered.

"Shes next then." Emily stared, horrified.

"I think so." De shuddered.

"Riley!" Emily ran up.

"What?" I looked at her.

"Me and De think Tiffany might be the next target. The killer is obviously killing the people you care about most, no?" Emily spoke.

"Your right... First my little sister, now my mother..." I looked down.

How did I not see it before. I was blinded by anger obviously..

"Let's go, theres nothing here..." Emily grabbed my arm.

"Yeah..." I looked at John.

"It'll be alright, man. I'll protect Tiffany with my life." John smiled.

"Thanks man... I don't know what I'd do without you..." I hugged John, he hesitated before hugging me back.

"Emily..." John whispered to the girl. "I've noticed De never sleeps at night. And the killings - your disappearance, they all happened _after_ he showed up. I don't trust him."

"You think?" Emily looked down. "Maybe... It makes sense, the guy is too quiet..."

"We should convince Riley to kill his sorry ass." John spat.

"He'll listen to you, he trusts you more." Emily smirked.

"Alright." John smirked. "Hey, Riley! Come here, Emily and I have something we need to say."

"Can I come?" De looked at them.

"No." John glared.

"Whats up." I walked to them.

"You should kill, De." John whispered. "He's the one doing the killings I think."

"Yeah..." Emily rolled her eyes.

"You really think?" I looked at John.

"Did I ever steer you wrong?" John smirked.

"No..." I sighed. "Okay. I won't kill him though. I got a plan I can't tell you yet,he might hear."

:: ::

That night, I went back to where their bodies were found, and knelt down by a bullet fragment that was just outside the cabin.

"Huh... A bullet fragment for .357 magnum... Only two people in camp use this type of gun..." I looked down.

I know who it is now, I can't be sure. So i need to keep my wits about me... My mother is gone... My soul is gone... My entire being is nothing... Only Tiffany remains in my life... Her and John.

I must stay for them, and the rest...

* * *

**AN: Sorry a short Chapter I got writers black after John and Emily told him to kill De.**


	18. Season 3 chapter 5: The Killer Revealed

| Riley POV |

I woke up in the middle of the night, couldn't sleep. I looked over to where Tiffany usually slept beside me. She was gone, however. I looked around, terrified. Her and someone else was gone... I couldn't place who... Maybe John was right, maybe it was De.

I stood up, And without waking anyone, fled, to that cabin in the woods.

Inside I heard a gun cock. I kicked the door open and aimed my gun at whoever was in it. I saw Tiffany tied to a chair, tape over her mouth.

She looked at me and tears of joy filled her eyes.

I looked at whoever had taken her, and with horror found... John?!

"John... It was you?!" I stared at him.

He looked over at me and smiled, now aiming the gun at me.

"You know, I'm glad you found out, Riley. Makes it easier to dispose of both of you at once." John smirked.

"How could you... I trusted you!" I clenched my fists.

"That was mistake number one. While you lead this pack of neanderthals, I hid what I was planning, and what I was planning was only helped by De's and Violet's arrival. They distracted you guys enough... Made you think it was one of them, no?" He smirked, when I slowly nodded. "See? Riley, even as kids I was always smarter, and had more wits than you."

"But... You loved my mom... And Krystal? It all just doesn't add up!" I cried.

"They had to be sacrificed for the greater good, and _me_? I _am_ the greater good." John kept aiming.

"Just tell me something, John. Why?" I looked at him. "Why go through all this trouble, poisoning Emily, murdering my family in cold blood?"

"Riley, Let me ask you something. Okay?" He got all serious suddenly. "Everytime someone dies, who do you think fault's it was? Valerie, Marika, Willie?"

"The people who killed them." I looked at him.

"No. It's you! You ask questions first, try to reason, then shoot if there's no other choice. Your weak, if you had just killed Dante when he came that day, Willie and Valerie would still be here, same with if you killed Jack when you first recognized him, he wouldn't of killed Marika." John spat.

"And, poisoning Emily? You didn't kill her, why?" I looked at him.

"I was hoping an Infected would attack her while she slept. Make her suffer more, you know? Hoping we would be able to hear the screams of her... I was wrong due to that pest Violet, after I'm done with you, she'll be next." John smirked, and moved his finger to the trigger.

"Your weak! Why don't you drop that gun and we settle this like when we were kids? Huh?" I smirked.

"A fight? I _always_ won!" John smirked. "Just means you'll die in more pain."

He dropped his gun and kicked it away, also dropping his knife. I dropped my knife and pistol, smiling.

"It'll be different this time, asshole." I smirked, clenching my fists.

He swung a punch, aiming for my head, I caught it, and twisted his arm behind his back, kicking him down.

"Same rules apply, as when we were kids huh?" I looked down at him.

"Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way... Choke holds illegal." He smiled and stood, tackling me into the wall

He swung a punch at my head, this time landing it's mark as he pinned me there.

"Hey, watch your kiwi's." I mumbled as I lifted my foot up, kicking him in the nuts as hard as I could.

"What a fucking cheap shot..." He groaned as he slumped to his knees.

I kicked him in the face as he fell onto his back.

He rolled out of the way as I tried to stomped on his face. He grabbed my leg and I fell to one knee.

"John... your fucking pathetic you know..." I mumbled.

"How so?" He looks at me, generally wondering.

"You hurt my sister - my mom. Almost my girlfriend, and for what? To take over the camp?" I looked at him.

"Oh, it's more than that, Riley." He smiled.

"Then what?" I looked at him.

"I am God, Riley. I'm the thing your worst fears have been hiding, when you were a child, scared of the dark - you shoulda been more worried about me." He smiled. "You know, deep down, you probably knew this was coming. You lives were in my hands, when I deemed you usually like weak little Krystal, and bitch Lauren, and slut Tiffany, I simply made you... _disappear_."

"That all? To prove your some, what? Entity?" I looked at him.

"Yeah, guess so, in a nutshell." John shrugged. "I loved your family, I did... It pained me to do that. Like it's gonna pain me to do this."

And with that, he punched me across the face. I grabbed his arm after he made contact, twisting it far behind his back.

"With one swift motion I can break your arm, you know that?" I smirked.

"Then do it, if you even got the sack." John whispered.

I closed my eyes, and with a swift motion, broke his arm, I opened after I heard the loud crack and a scream from John.

"You son of a dead bitch!" John used his good hand to punch me square in the nose, I felt it break.

"Right back at you." I pinned him down, and put my hands around his throat, choking him.

"Y-you can't... Your... Too... Weak..." John managed between gasps.

"Try me." I closed my eyes, squeezing tighter as I felt him trying to push me off.

"Good night Brocacho." I kept squeezing until I felt him stop kicking. I moved my head close to his chest and couldn't hear a heartbeat.

"Fucker." I kicked him in the side.

I untied Tiffany and removed the tape and she hugged me, crying.

"Riley... He was about to kill me!" She cried into my shoulder

"I know... I know... He won't be able to hurt you anymore..." I rubbed her back gently, as she cried. "It's okay now... shh..."

Suddenly the cabin door bust open as the others ran in.

"W...What's going on here?" Violet looked down at John's body.

"It was him... he ended my mom and Krystal... then tried Tiffany just to mess me up..." I sighed.

"John? He was one of the nicest people I know..." Emily looked down. "Must be some mistake..."

"Guess you really don't know anyone." De shook his head.

"Especially nowadays..." Darren looked down.

"I still can't believe it was J_ohn_... Let's go. Let's put this whole mess behind us." I started walking to the exit, with my arm around Tiffany who was still crying. "How did you guys know where we were?"

"The same way you knew where John was. The murders happened here, so he had to have been here..." Darren answered for me.

"Ah... Okay..." I sighed, as I walked out.

"What do we do now?" Emily caught up to me.

"Try to move on. Forget this asshole ever existed." I shrugged. "Will be hard but its doable."

"So we lost two people due to him...a little girl and a harmless mom. Pathetic." Emily scoffed.

"Tell me about it..." I rolled my eyes.

"I'll just tell you this, Emily. From here on out I'm gonna be extra wary of everyone. If I feel like someone is a moment away from betrayal, I won't hesitate I don't care who it is - I will end them." I looked at the girl, who after a few seconds nodded.

* * *

**AN: WHOO! Sorry for the long ass friggin' wait! I had kinda writer's block - plus I just started liking Supernatural so i had to catch up... heh... ANYHOW! The Killer was revealed :)**


	19. Season 4 chapter 1: Memories

**AN: I just got my iPad fixed so I should be updating way more frequently. Unless of course I have writers' block heh...**

* * *

| Riley's POV |

My eyes flashed open and I jumped to my feet. My ears were ringing so bad, I swear my eardrums were about to explode. The room was spinning. I felt sick to my very core. I was screaming for help, dear God someone help me!

I looked to the corner of the room and saw John holding Krystal by her hair, a knife to her neck. Tears were streaming down her face.

"Let her go!" I screamed and tried to move but my legs wouldn't budge.

John started to laugh maniacally, as he pulled the knife, slitting her throat as she dropped. He reached into a room beside him and pulled out Lauren and proceeded without hesitation to repeatedly stab her over and over.

"Stop, John! Stop, damn it!" I screamed, crying.

He pulled Tiffany out of the room and grinned wildly, putting the knife to her throat as she screamed and struggled.

:: ::

Suddenly, I jolted awake, screaming, crying and doused in sweat. My screams of terror awoke Tiffany and alerted Darren, who was on guard duty.

"Hey, you okay?" Darren looked at me, wide eyed.

"Another John nightmare?" Tiffany yawned and looked at me worriedly.

"Y-yeah..." I rubbed my temples. "Darren, you can sleep, I'll go on guard duty to clear my head."

"You're in no place... You're still shook up..." Darren shook his head.

"And you're tired as all Hell. Sleep" I insisted, and stood, taking the shotgun from him.

"Fine..." He laid against the wall and drifted off to sleep.

It's been three days since John mercilessly killed my mom and sister, and almost my girlfriend.

"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" De lookEd at me from where he was leaning on a tree, shining his pipe.

"Yeah, another nightmare... Why you up?" I glanced at De.

"Too dangerous to sleep at night." He shrugged. "I sleep during the day if you hadn't noticed."

"Ah..." I breathed and sighed looking at my feet.

Suddenly, I jumped, hearing a loud thud that sounded more like a gunshot. I looked at De and saw him holding his pipe, it was against the tree, an Infected's skull was smashed underneath the pipe.

"What was that?!" Emily ran out, holding her handgun.

"Killed a dead." De didn't even look at Emily, as he pulled his pipe away. "Go back to sleep. I need to talk to Riley alone."

"What?" Me and Emily both asked.

"You heard me." De scowled at Emily.

Emily grumbled angrily, and went back inside.

"Tomorrow - me, you, Violet, and Emily. We will go check out a place about twenty miles away. I spotted it while I was out with Dante a few months before... Well, you know..." De's eyes darkened in anger.

"What about Tiff?" I looked at him.

"Man, I'm sorry, but she's a liability. Girls scared of her own shadow. She'll get us killed." De looked me dead in the eyes. "She'll be safe with Darren."

I glared but deep down I knew he was right about her.

"Yeah, sure. Get rest. I'll watch, okay?" I insisted as he scowled at me but sighed.

"Whatever..." He mumbled as he went inside.

Tomorrow, huh? He seemed still pissed about what had gone down with Dante. He saved my life, though. So I'll let his hostility slide. I owe him my life. I'll never be able to repay him for saving my sorry ass.

:: ::

The next morning, I was leaning on the outside wall, when De came out.

"You ready? Violets just getting her arrows ready, and Emily's reloading her pistol. Then we're ready to roll. Are you?" He looked at me.

"Of course." I yawned. I hadn't slept a wink since I finished talking with De after last night.

"We're ready!" Emily smiled brightly as she came out with Violet.

"You seem enthusiastic..." Violet arched an eyebrow at her.

"Of course. We're finally doing something. It's been buzzkill central here since what happened with John." Emily frowned and Violet gently hit her arm, and motioned to me, mouthing for her to not mention John.

"It's fine Violet." I smiled at her.

"How you holding up?" She looked at me worryingly.

"Just fine." I shrugged. "Let's go."

I began walking off with De just beside me.

"Hey, I know you know that you're the opposite of alright. Don't try to act tough, it's not good." De looked at me and I sighed, nodding.

:: ::

| ?'s POV |

"Mom! Hurry up! Or they'll catch up!" I called back to my mom, as I ran from a giant herd of Infected. I turned and saw them very close to the woman. "Come on!"

"Dylan... Go on without me! I'm done! I'll distract them! Slow them down!" My mom called to me. "I love you. Find a new group! Survive..."

Just then my eyes widened as I saw an Infected take a big chunk out of her neck, as she pulled away and shot it point blank, she stood where she was, ignoring the pain as she shot Infected until it clicked, showing she's out of bullets.

"Mom..." I teared up as I ran from the herd as they were distracted killing the strongest person I ever met.

First looters killed my dad and sister... Then fucking undead kill my mom? Fucking great... What a way to go...

I saw a small convenience store by the name of Country Farms a few hours later and turned seeing I lost the herd. I ran into the store and hid in the back room, killing one undead that was in there.

:: ::

| Riley's POV |

De kicked open the door of the Country Farms convenience store, as we all entered, guns drawn.

"What we looking for?" Violet looked at me as she entered, arrow straining to her bow.

"Food. Water. Medicine. Whatever you think will be useful." De answered for me.

Emily went to the back and knelt by a few shelves of medicine, and she heard rattling in the closet behind her.

"There's something in there." She hissed to me.

"Check it out. Keep your gun drawn, safety off. Might be a rat or something. Or nothing at all." I looked at her.

Emily slowly pushed open the door and aimed her gun, scanning the room. She saw a guy sitting in the corner, looking at her wide eyed.

"Hey, Riley! Some guys in here!" She called to Me.

"A guy?" De repeated.

"What, is there an echo? Yes a guy!" Emily spat.

I entered, gun drawn.

"Slide us any weapons you have." I spoke directly to him.

He looked at us, and slid us a kitchen knife, a crowbar, and a pistol. I looked at Violet and motioned towards the pistol. She picked it up.

"It loaded?" I looked at her.

"Out of ammo." She showed me the empty clip.

"Any ammo on you?" I kept my gun aimed steadily.

"No..." He looked up at me.

"You got a name?" De glared at him.

"Dylan... Dylan Holt..." He looked at De.

"You alone?" I began to lower the gun.

"Yes. It was me, my dad and my sis... My sis and dad were murdered... And my mom was eaten." Dylan answered.

Emily and Violet both quickly glanced at me.

I pulled De away so we can talk privately.

"You can't seriously be thinking about letting him join can you!?" De glared at me. "He's a stranger!"

"So were you, Tiff, and Violet." I crossed my arms.

"I saved your ass from Dante. Violet saved Emily's ass." De spoke. "And Tiff joined because you loved her."

"I sympathize with him... His sister was murdered so was mine. His mom was killed, mine too." I glared at him.

"Sympathize? So your going on sympathy now huh?" De scowled deeper. "When this comes to bite you in the ass don't come crying to me."

"I'll be sure not to." I didn't even look at him.

"What's the word?" Emily looked at me.

"Dylan, would you like to join our group?" I looked at him.

"R-really?!" He looked at me, eyes wide.

"Just a warning though. You try to hurt me. My friends. Or show even an ounce of betrayal. You get a bullet to the face. Got it?" I scowled at him.

"Yeah of course!" He nodded with a big smile.

"Okay. First order, help us loot this place." I tossed him a bag, and slid him his knife and crowbar. "Get to it."

He nodded and picked up the bag going to a shelf.

"You sure about this?" Emily whispered to me.

"We'll just have to keep an eye on him." I whispered.

"Yeah." Emily nodded as she went to a shelf wit's Violet.

"I hope your not wrong about this." De shook his head.

"I won't make any mistakes, not after John." I spat through grit teeth.

"You better not." De walked off.

I watched Dylan loot shelves and smiled. He won't be a nuisance. I know.

* * *

**AN: This chap was meant to be a char development chapter for De. And thanks to iamzachh for the char of Dylan Holt!**


	20. Season 4 chapter 2: Torture

| Riley POV |

"You grab everything you could carry?" I looked at everyone in the store.

"Yep!" Violet grinned.

"Let's head back." De smirked, and motioned for me to watch the newbie - Dylan.

"Dylan me and you will take the back. Emily and Violet the middle, De will be in the front." I looked at the kid.

"Sure, sir." Dylan smiled at me, and I just looked at him blankly.

:: ::

Halfway back, Emily tripped and Dylan ran and helped her up.

"I didn't need help, kid..." Emily scoffed and dusted herself off.

"Sorry..." Dylan sighed.

"Shhh! Look ahead!" De knelt and pointed, showing 2 people.

"What was that?" One with a gruff voice spoke.

"No signs of Meaters..." Another one spoke, her voice was higher - sweeter.

"Wanna call it? Head back?" The gruff one spoke again.

"Yeah. Let's go." The girl spoke again as they began heading towards us.

"Shit shit shit..." Emily kept mumbling.

"What do we do?!" Violet looked at me and De.

"We can take them." De gripped his pipe tighter.

"There are what? 5 of us? There are only 2 of them. Leave them be, their innocent." Dylan whispered.

"We beat bigger odds before. Dante, remember Riley? Em?" De smirked, looking at us.

"How could I forget... Bastard nearly killed me and Tiff." I sighed.

"We can't stay here. We're sitting ducks!" Violet spat, looking scared.

"We gotta m-" I broke off as I heard a gun behind us cock.

"Drop your weapons." A males voice, a little kinder than the mans spoke.

"Or what?" De glared at him and turned.

"Or I'll kill you. Drop them." He aimed at us.

"De do what he Says!" I ordered and dropped my gun and knife.

Dylan dropped his crowbar, kitchen knife, and gun, along with Emily dropping her gun and Violet dropping her knives and bow, and De throwing his pipe down in anger.

"How are we gonna get out of this one, Riley?" Emily looked at me, and for one of the first times, seemed terrified. Violet has had an impact on her... Ever since she met the girl, she's been a lot more open and trusting, to everyone except De.

"I _did_ hear something." The gruff man spat.

"They don't seem like their with her..." The girl looked at both men.

"Tell us your names." The boy ordered.

"Riley... That's De, Violet, Emily, and Dylan." I spoke our names, keeping eye contact with the boy.

"Whose 'her'?" Violet looked at the girl.

"No one." The gruff man hissed.

"Lower the gun Conrad!" The girl ordered the boy.

"Shut up sister." He spat at her.

"Stop thi-" the gruff man started but stopped as a bullet went into his skull and he dropped.

"What!?" Conrad exclaimed, looking around.

"Found you." A girl walked up with 2 men beside her. She had long, blonde hair, and deep brown eyes that seemed to make her beautiful, De obviously thought the same, he was just staring at her.

"Jessica." The girl beside us spat in anger.

"Rachel. Conrad. And poor poor dead Phil." Jessica smirked. "Honeys you mind helping dispose of these people? Not them though. Take them." She smirked motioning to my group.

Conrad raised his gun but a man came up behind him, stabbing him in the neck, as he choked as blood gushed out.

"Stop!" Rachel raised her gun, but one man beside Jess shot her in the chest point blank.

"Damn it! I'll kill you!" De roared as he ran at the men, but Emily and Violet held him back, the two of them together were still barely enough to hold him.

"You idiot! Stop it!" Emily hissed.

"Should I kill them, ma'am?" One man looked at Jess.

"No. They might have a camp. They will be a nuisance. We will torture these people until they give up information. Grab them." Jess spoke, staring at us blankly.

"What's your plan... Jess?" De suddenly spat. The dude did not know when to shut his fucking mouth!

"This world gives me an opportunity. To be whatever I want. Before it, I was no one. A loser barely maintaining a D average in senior year." Jess answered. "Whats it to you?"

"You don't need to be bad. You can return." Dylan suddenly spoke, causing both me and Emily to glare at him.

"I can be good. Huh?" Jess smirked cruelly. "There is no one good. Everyone good died a long time ago. I see it in your buds faces, they know it. Except that girl, and you."

She motioned to Violet as she said that.

"Your wrong. These people were with. They _are_ nice. They took me in when I had barely a leg to stand on." Violet looked at her dead in the eyes.

"To be fair, you _did_ save my ass..." Emily mumbled.

"We woulda took her In regardless." I glared at Emily.

"I guess your the one calling the shots." Jess looked at me With an amused look.

"Yes." I answered simply.

"A weak leader. Tell me, are you gonna stand there and tell me honestly that you haven't killed a single person? For the end goal." Jess looked at me.

"Well-" De began but earned a smack across the face from Jess.

"I asked him!" She hissed.

"My best friend yes..." I answered truthfully, remembering John's final moments. "And a few others..."

"Your best friend? That's pretty harsh, dutiful leader." Jess mocked me.

"Shut up..." De mumbled which earned a harder smack.

"Shut up! Before I kill you!" Jess screamed at him.

"How did you become leader? You sleep with some dude?" De smirked, obviously not scared of her.

"That's it." She raised her gun but one of her men stopped her.

"Tie him up. Torture _him_ extra bad, we need him." The guy looked at her and she sighed, nodding.

"Damn right you need me." De smirked cockily.

"Grab them." Jess walked off as each of us was grabbed, more men came up behind us.

"Don't lose hope..." I said one last thing as tape covered my mouth.

Before a blindfold was put on me I saw De get knocked out by a man and dragged away with Dylan next, then Emily, then Violet, then I felt immense pain as I collapsed, getting knocked out.

:: ::

I woke tied to a lab table, my eyes widened as I struggled fiercely.

"Fuck!" I screamed, after realizing the tape was off.

"He's up." I heard a man speak, but couldn't turn my head to look.

"Good." Jessica's voice was heard.

"Where are my friends!?" I ordered.

"Im here..." I heard De's voice on the other side of the room. "Emily is beside me..."

I looked at a lab table beside me and saw Dylan.

"My head hurts like Hell..." I heard Violets voice not too far away.

"How do we get out of this mess Riley..." Emily mumbled.

"Let me think..." I muttered.

"Wheres your camp?" Jess walked to De.

"I ain't telling you shit." De hissed.

"Oh I think you are." Jess smirked and I heard De scream a few seconds later as I heard something stab into his flesh.

"The bitch stabbed a shard of glass into my fucking palm!" De screamed.

"Hurry up, man..." Dylan whispered to me.

"I can't think of sHit... Last time we were tied up,John and Emily saved my ass, but Johns dead and Emily is tied too, and no one knows where the hell we are." I sighed angrily.

"Let's just hope De holds out." Violet whispered.

"Stop it! Stop cutting him you bitch!" Emily screamed as we heard her struggling.

"Or what?" Jess hissed.

"I'll kill you!" De screamed and we heard him crying.

"Your next smart mouth." Jess smirked and we heard a loud smack as Emily gasped.

"She hit her..." Dylan breathed.

"Fuck..." I mumbled.

Maybe John was right. Maybe I'm not cut out to be leader... He was always a faster thinker... Maybe he should be here instead. No. I am tough. I will find a way out. We beat stronger foes before - Dante... Jack... John himself.

"Tell me where your your friends are." Jess hissed at Emily.

"Bite me." Emily spit in her face.

"Let's go." Jess wiped her face, and smacked Emily super hard. She looked at one of her men. "I need more torturing tools."

She left with all her men. Fucking idiot...

"Anyone got any bright ideas!?" Emily called.

We suddenly heard De groaning in pain.

"What are you- Oh your smart!" Emily Exclaimed.

De smirked as he teared up, pulling the shard of glass out of his palm. He used the sharpness of it, as he started cutting the ropes binding his hand and as he finished, he reached over. He was barely able to reach to untied his other hand, as he then did his legs.

He quickly untied Emily, then me, then Dylan, and last Violet.

"That musta been a bitch." Emily rubbed her wrists.

"Of course." De smirked.

I walked to the door and pushed it as it held tight, showing me it was locked.

"Fuck." I sighed, and kicked it hard as it barely budged.

"Me you and Dylan kick, Riley." De looked at me.

"Smart." Dylan smiled.

"Kiss up." Emily mumbled sarcastically.

The three of us reared up together and at the same time kicked with all our might as the door fell down.

"Told ya." De smirked.

"Asshat." I smiled.

"Let's find a way out, but be quiet." Violet whispered.

We slowly exited the room, finding ourselves in a windowless hall, with grimy walls, it was vacant. I peered around a corner and smirked , seeing a door. I walked to a closet door on the wall near it and kicked it open with De's help as I gasped in shock, seeing all our weapons.

"Bitch didn't hide them well..." Emily mumbled.

"She didn't think we'd break out." Violet smirked.

We grabbed our weapons and ran to the other door I saw as I pushed it open, and sighed, seeing a camp. At least thirty people in the streets, give or take.

"Holy shit..." De mumbled.

"I don't see Jess, or any of the men that were with her. These are just... People." Violet whispered.

"Wanna blend in?" Dylan asked, watching the crowd.

"Wouldn't work." De sighed, then pointed to a gate not far away, a single guard near it.

"We can silently take him out." I whispered and started to slowly walk toward him and hid in a bush near him and as he turned to cough i grabbed him, silently snapping his neck.

"Way to go." De smirked as he crawled to me, with the others close behind.

"Let's go. We can't wait any longer." Emily spoke as she helped me hide the body in the bushes.

"Ya." I slid open the gate and ran out with the others following.

Not long after we heard sirens. We turned and saw Jess chasing us, with about 10 men with her. All armed to the teeth.

"Oh fuck..." Emily mumbled.

* * *

**AN: a long chapter today! (By my standards) Hah! Miracles happen! :)**


	21. Season 4 chap 3: Loss

**AN: a doozy is coming in this chap - I got HUGE plans for it... Hehe:)**

* * *

| Riley POV |

We were running... We gotta keep running... Their gaining... Gaining!

"Hurry the fuck up!" Emily screamed, she was the fastest of us, Violet being the second, only by a little.

I heard a pair of feet behind me slow down and stop. I turned seeing De had quit running.

"Come on, man! Their catching up, we gotta go!" I screamed at him.

"No. You go, I'll stay back and slow them down. We can't outrun them, and even if we do, they'll follow us to our camp. You have to go." De looked me in the eyEs with such seriousness in his deep brown eyes I got kind of depressed.

"De... No. You saved my ass, I'm not leaving you." I stuttered.

"I know. You were never gonna be able to repay that debt, cause there is no debt to be paid. Go. Now!" He suddenly screamed.

"No!" I screamed back, but Emily grabbed my arm, yanking me after her.

"He's right Riley..." Emily mumbled, tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Goodbye old friend, been a pleasure being with you all this time... never forget me!" De smirked at us as he turned and ran back towards Jessica's group.

| De POV |

I ran back towards her group and stood in their ways, my pipe drawn, this bitch was going to pay one way or another.

"Move aside, before we kill you." Jessica spat.

"Kill me then." I smirked, and swung the pipe hard knocking out one of her men.

"Kill him. This asshole has been a pain in my ass for too long." Jess ordered.

"Good night Riley, be seeing you in Heaven soon... Let's hope not soon enough... Brother." I spoke one last line as a guy rose his gun shooting me in the center of my forehead point blank as I dropped like a stone.

| Riley POV |

We kept running even after we heard the gunshot. Tears welled in my eyes and I saw Violet, Emily, and Dylan were tearing up too.

"He's... Gone. Just like that..." Dylan mumbled.

"He went out a hero..." I muttered.

"Saved all our asses..." Emily sighed shakily as she dropped to her knees, crying. The girl was crying harder now than when her dad died!

"We... Gotta go, Em... They'll catch up..." Violet put her arm around Emily and hugged her.

"We lost them... We can take a breather..." I mumbled, as I dropped to my knees after seeing their nowhere in sight.

"He did what he said he'd do. Slowed them long enough for us to escape." Dylan looked down, barely holding back tears.

"De... You will be avenged..." I muttered, as my tears disappeared and my eyes had immense anger grow inside them.

"We gotta go back..." I clenched my fists and stood, Emily kept sobbing, unmoving.

"Emily... We gotta go..." Dylan grabbed her arm, helping her to her feet. She suddenly hugged him, crying into his shirt. "Emily... Get a hold of yourself..."

"S-Shut up!" She suddenly screamed at him.

"He's right, Emily..." Violet sighed.

"Shut up! Both of you!" Emily clenched him tighter, crying harder,

"Dylan... Bring her." I looked at the kid, and he put his arm around her shoulders and began walking away, bringing her with him.

"She ever been like this before?" Violet whispered to me.

"No. Not even when her dad died." I sighed angrily.

We followed the two as we left, with a heavy heart... De's final words to me hung in my head, _Goodbye old friend, been a pleasure being with you all this time... never forget me!_

:: ::

We reached the factory as Tiff ran out hugging me tightly.

"You've been gone almost twenty-four hours..." Darren walked out behind her with Rebecca.

"You've been crying hon?"'Rebecca looked at her daughter, whose face had tear streaks and eyes were beat red.

"Wait. Wheres De?" Tiffany looked at me wide eyed.

"He... Didn't make it." Violet answered for me.

"W-what happened?" Tiffany looked at us then at Dylan. "Whose he?"

"A friend." I answered.

"We got captured - taken. By a girl named Jessica. She has at least thirty men and woman with her. Could be more." I spoke shakily. "We escaped and she chased us with a group... De sacrificed himself to slow her down... He went out a hero."

"He... He's dead?" Tiffany stuttered and hugged me tighter, crying into my shirt.

"His death won't be in vain."'Darren clenched his fists.

"We will kill that bitch..." Emily mumbled, and hugged Dylan tighter, beginning to cry again.

"Calm down Em... We'll avenge him." Dylan soothed her.

"Shut up you idiot!" Emily shrieked at him, holding him tighter.

"We need to figure out a plan. It's not like with Dante when they came to us... Were also down two men since then... John and De." I sighed angrily.

"De Knows we can do this without him. Otherwise he wouldn't of sacrificed himself." Violet looked at us.

"He's right. We can." Darren blinked back tears.

"I didn't know him well, but in the time I did he saved us twice..." Dylan blinked back tears as he rubbed Emily's back as she cried harder, unspeaking.

The suddenly...

"W-what...? You idiot! Let go of me!" Emily pushed Dylan back forcefully in anger.

"Hey chill..." Dylan mumbled.

"Okay. Becca you know how to shoot no?" Darren looked at her.

"Yes. I was taught by John. Before he fell off the deep end." Rebecca answered.

"Good. we will go. Me, you, Riley, Dylan, Violet. Emily you are too unstable to go. You will stay back with Tiff." Darren spoke the plan.

"Okay... Darren... And don't you dare touch me again asshole..." Emily scowls at Dylan.

"Okay okay jees..." Dylan scoffed and walked inside with everyone except Tiff, Riley, and Emily following.

"He was just trying to comfort you..." Tiffany frowned at Emily.

"I trusted one guy before, he turned into a class A asshole. I'm not trusting another..." She looks down, remembering John.

I frowned.

"Watch Tiffany... Please?" I looked her in the eyes and she nodded sadly.

"We leave tomorrow." Darren came out.

"Alright." I smiled.

* * *

**AN: HEY! Sorry short chap. Nxt ones gonna be long! :))**


	22. Season 4 chap 4: Falling

| Riley POV |

I knelt by the grass outside Jessica's camp, glancing down at my knife and gun, fists clenched.

I looked down at my hands and lunged my gun at a tree in anger.

"God damn it!"'I screamed to the heavens. "Why this... Why now!? Why me!? It doesn't make sense!"

I laid down on the grass, and began crying my eyes out.

:: ::

Hours earlier...

"You ready to roll, Riley?" Darren walked to me, and I nodded.

"Good. Time to ice this bitch for good." Violet mumbled, fists clenched.

"She'll pay for De." I looked at her and Darren, as Becca and Dylan came to us now.

"Emily you okay being left alone, with Tiff?" Becca looked at her daughter.

"Y-yes..." Emily stuttered, still shaking and tearing up. Me and Darren glanced at Dylan and I mouthed: _Comfort her!_

"Emily... It's okay..." Dylan wrapped his arms around her, as she vainly tried pushing him back, but to everyone's shock she was too weak from crying to push him.

"J-Just fucking go, you idiot!" She screamed still trying to push him back.

"Okay... Be safe, we'll be back in one piece." Dylan mumbled and pulled away, walking back to the others, as I went to Tiff.

"We'll be back, soon. You'll be okay. I promise." I hugged her.

"Good..." She kissed me and I kissed her back, and smiled, pulling away.

"Emily will protect you." I smiled at Emily who weakly smiled back.

"I love you..." Tiffany mumbled, and I looked at her and smiled.

"I love you, too." I kissed her cheek

"Let's go, Romeo. You'll see Juliet again." Darren smirked at us.

"Yeah. I will." I smiled, walking out with the others.

"You okay with leaving her back there?" Dylan whispered to me.

"Emily's a tough girl, and trustworthy. I trust her with my life, and Tiffany's." I smiled at him and he sighed.

"There are thirty of them, maybe more. God knows how many are armed." Dylan mumbled.

"God? There is no God." Darren suddenly looked back at us. "If there was, would we be suffering like we are?"

"He's not wrong." Violet mumbled.

"Darren is right. If there was some... God, or Jesus or whatever the hell you want to call your 'lord' would he let us suffer like this? Seeing our... Our families, and friends torn apart? Is this some kind of sick joke to him?" I shook my head. "To watch us squirm until we can't handle no more, and just give up. Well, you know what? I'm not giving up. No matter what. There isn't anything he can throw at me, that'll make me just want to end it. Hell, he already let my mother and sister be taken by my best friend, so there isnt much else he can do."

"You got a good point... Sorry I said anything..." Dylan frowned.

"No need to be sorry." Darren grinned.

"Riley, you know the way?" Rebecca looked back at me. I nodded.

"Dylan and Violet do too." I grinned at the two.

"Lead the way one of you." Darren motioned and Violet sighed as she took the lead.

"Start counting your days Jessica. We're coming." I looked at the sky.

:: ::

I looked at the big door leading into her camp and grinned despite my inner fear.

"So do we kick the door in and start shooting up the place or..." Dylan started, but was cut off.

"No need." Said a voice behind us and we turned seeing a man holding a crowbar, with a sly smirk on his face. "I hear your after the beautiful Jessica, huh?"

"You heard right." I smirked, clenching my gun, but not raising it.

"Hold it there. You're outnumbered. Out gunned." He smirked.

"You can't tell us that you know what she did - and that your okay with it!" Violet looked at him.

"I don't know the story. I'm just doing as told. She hasn't steered me or my step-brother wrong before." He smirked.

"You have family here. Yet you put your faith in a psycho, huh?" Darren shook his head.

"Psycho?" He seemed to find this amusing. "You really think you escaped her. She followed you to your camp. Had her men watch you all night. Riley was it? Does Tiffany ring a bell? Or Emily?"

"Her men are still hidden watching them. As we speak. With one signal they'll kill both girls." Another, younger boy walked up.

"You two got names?" Darren spat.

I was speechless with worry. They knew about Tiffany... They were telling the truth... Who were they?

"Our names?" The older one smirked, and bowed. "Names James Andrews. This is my step brother Quinn Star"

"You better not harm a hair on Tiffany's head." I glared.

"Or what?" James smirked at us.

"I'll kill you." I spat at them.

"Hey... Uh... James?" Quinn looked at James.

"What?" James glanced over.

"Shouldn't we hear their side of the story... I mean, what if their not wrong about Jessica?" Quinn looked at him.

"Don't you _dare_ talk about her like that!" James suddenly grabbed Quinn by the front of his shirt tightly. "Jessica is the sweetest, kindest person ever!"

"I... I was just saying!" Quinn's eyes widened as James sighed, letting go.

"Sorry... But she saved our asses. Remember?" James glanced at Quinn, who nodded.

"Your brothers right... Why don't you hear our story first?" Violet looked James in the eye.

"Alright. But I want Mr. In charge to tell the story." James looked at me.

I sighed as I began retelling all that happened - Jessica kidnappings us, the escape, De's sacrifice.

:: ::

Back at the factory while this is going on...

| Emily POV |

I sat against the outside wall of the factory, as Tiffany slept peacefully inside.

De... Why the fuck did you leave me? We... We coulda survived... _You_ coulda survived... I should of been the one to sacrifice myself. No one likes me... No one! But everyone _loved_ you!

Tears began to blur my eyes and when I wiped them away so I could see again, I saw an Infected heading to me. I raised my gun and because I was shaking I missed the first two shots.

"Fuck!" I mumbled.

I shot a final shot and it made it's mark in its forehead.

I breathed a sigh of relief and gasped, seeing two more came into view. I shot again, this time making the mark each shot but then saw that was my last bullet.

"Shit!" I breathed, and saw about ten more had came into view, followed by a whole... Herd? Shit!

Without a second thought, I threw my gun down and ran away, completely forgetting I was supposed to be watching Tiff.

"Oh god... Tiffany..." I breathed, seeing I was too far to even go back for her. It seemed fifty had already entered, and I heard her scream echoing. Oh fuck... Riley's gonna kill me... I'm so dead.

I sprinted toward the only place I knew of... Jessica's camp.

| Tiffany POV |

I woke to the sound of moans. And my eyes widened seeing a few of those undead creeps had wandered in. Where was Emily!? I trusted her to protect me! God knows I can't kill worth shit! I don't even have a fucking weapon besides a knife!

"Emily!" I screamed and backed away. I pulled out my knife and tried to stab one but missed, as it grabbed my arm and I screamed, trying to yank away. He bit into my arm as I screamed and he pulled flesh off as another grabbed me from behind and they took me down, screaming.

The pain... The pain was unbearable... That kiss was the last one I'd share with my boyfriend...

:: ::

Back at Jessica's camp...

| Riley POV |

"She... Did all that shit?" Quinn stared, awestruck.

"Pretty much, down to the last detail." Violet grinned.

"Do you believe them?" Quinn looked at his brother.

James just stared at me for a minute.

"Yeah. I believe them." James spoke, staring me directly in the eye. "Doesn't mean we should disobey Jessica."

"What? Come on, brother..." Quinn looked at him, sadly.

"You trust me right, Quinn?" James looked at him.

"I do... But I don't trust Jessica..." Quinn bit his bottom lip and looked at me again. "You'll have to excuse my brother."

"It's okay." I smiled at Quinn.

"Shut up! I need to think." James ordered me.

"Hey you can't-" Darren began but I cut him off.

"Stop. Let him think." I looked at Darren.

"Okay... If what you claim is true - and I'm not saying it is." James spoke. "We got a problem."

"What do you mean?" I stared at him.

"She has over 50 people under her disposal. Not counting us." James spoke.

"Against those odds we are screwed..." Violet mumbled.

"I'll think of a plan..." Quinn mumbled, looking at the sky. "I got it!"

"Do tell?" James looked at him.

"Jessica trusts me and you. Greatly. We'll go Undercover... Go find Jessica. Get her to come out here alone and you guys ambush her." Quinn spoke, with a smirk.

"That okay with you all?" James looked at us.

"I don't know..." Dylan frowned.

"Any plan is better than no plan. Besides it could work." I looked at Dylan.

"You go hide in those bushes." Quinn pointed. "I'll give you a signal when to jump out."

"You sure we can trust these two?" Violet whispered to me and Darren.

"Yeah Riley. We just met them and their with her. Remember Jack? You trusted him and he backstabbed you. Same with John." Darren spoke.

"But De turned out all right... Violet and Dylan too..." I glanced at Violet and Dylan.

"Let's just go hide." Dylan whispered.

"Yeah." I ducked in a bush with an excited Violet, scared Becca, reluctant Darren, and nervous Dylan.

"Ready?" Quinn asked his brother.

"As ready as I'll ever be." James sighed.

They went to the front gate and slid it open, calmly entering.

| James POV |

The kids outside. Their relying on us. Jessica... She lied to us. To me! I'd kill her myself if I could...

I gently opened the door to her house and entered with Quinn.

"James? Quinn? What are you doing here?" Jessica stared at us.

"We captured the targets, Jess." Quinn spoke.

"You did? Good. I'll go with you to interrogate them." She smiled warmly at me.

Lying Bitch!

We lead her to the front gate and exited.

| Riley POV |

"Jessica their just out here." Quinn spoke loudly so we'd hear.

"Where?" She questioned and looked around.

Suddenly James grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her back as Quinn covered her mouth with his hand as she tried to scream.

"Now!" Quinn ordered.

We got out of the bushes as she saw us and her eyes went wide as I looked at Darren.

"Got any rope and tape in your bag?" I asked.

"Yep." Darren dropped his bag and pulled out a coil of rope with duct tape. I tied her up and Quinn let go of her mouth and I quickly taped her before she could speak.

"Hey! Guards! Assholes!" I called.

Suddenly the large gate smashed open as numerous guards came out - possibly a number up to fifteen in number.

"Miss Jessica!" One spat.

"James... Quinn... Your betrayal?" Another stared.

"Yes Carlos." Quinn answered.

"Why?" Carlos spat.

"She tortured these people..." James spoke. "Please... Make the right choice guys..."

"Rip the tape off her mouth!" Carlos ordered, to which I obliged. I needed to be on his good side - he seemed in charge of them in Jess' absence.

"Kill them you idiot!" She ordered the moment the tape was off. "Yeah, that hurt too you asshole."

"Good." I mumbled.

"Did you torture and hurt these people?" Carlos asked, hurt in his eyes.

"What? Hell no!" Jessica defended herself.

"Bullshit." Violet mumbled.

I recognized the guard from the interrogation room.

"Hey you!" I called to him.

"What?" He called back.

"You were there while we were being tortured I saw you!" I called.

"I saw nothing." He smirked.

"Your full of shit. I know when your lying Ralph..." Carlos spoke.

"So she is a lying bitch." James smirked.

"Is this true, Jess?" Carlos looked at her, eyes wide.

"You believe these fucking liars!?" Jess roared, anger growing in her eyes.

"Language." Quinn spoke, sarcastically.

"Shut up..." Jess scowled at him, struggling against the ropes binding her.

I'm hoping to get through this without bloodshed... Much.

"Carlos. Do you believe us, now?" I looked at the man and he just sighed, rubbing his brow.

"Show me where the interrogation room was." He looked at me and I nodded.

"Dylan, come with me. Darren, Violet, Becca stay out here with them." I ordered.

"Will do." Darren smiled.

"Let's go..." Dylan walked to Carlos as I followed him.

"Lead the way." Carlos motioned to the door as I cautiously walked in with Carlos behind me, and Dylan behind him.

:: ::

I opened the door, showing the lab tables we were tied to. I looked at the shard of glass De used to cut the ropes which still laid bloodied on the floor.

"She keeps this place locked pretty tight usually...Only her and Ralph are usually in." Carlos sighed. "I knew some strange shit was going on here..."

:: ::

Back outside with Jessica's group...

| Darren POV |

We heard a pair of feet running behind us, as we all turned and saw Emily running to us.

"Emily?" I looked at her in shock. What was she doing here?

"W...Where's Riley and Dylan..." She caught her breath as she stopped running.

"Inside. With one of her men, trying to prove what Jess did... Wheres Tiffany?" Violet looked at her.

"S-She's..." Emily began tearing up.

"No... She's dead?" My eyes went wide.

"Yes... A herd blew through... I left her... I forgot she was there... I'm sorry!" Emily dropped to her knees, crying hard. "Riley's gonna fucking kill me!"

"This is gonna crush him..." Violet widened her eyes.

"We can't tell him. Not until this is done." I ordered, as Violet nodded.

:: ::

Back inside...

| Riley POV |

"So, what are you gonna do, Carlos?" I looked at the man.

"I'll trust you." Carlos looked down, making Dylan smile brightly, and I nodded.

"Let's go back." I nodded and walked out.

:: ::

Back outside I spotted Emily. Where's Tiffany? I must not be noticing her.

"Emily!" Dylan smiled.

"D-Dylan... Riley!" She cried harder.

"Still about De?" I looked at Darren, and he hesitated before nodding.

"Jess. You may be our leader. But like a few past leaders, your impeached." Carlos spoke, looking her in the eyes, as she gasped. "This was supposed to be some... Safe haven. But instead you made it into a torture camp. Just to find out where their camp was."

He then looked at Ralph and suddenly rose his gun shooting Ralph point blank in the face as the other guards gasped, and just stared.

"And he was your little helper." Carlos grinned and raised the gun to Jess but I touched his arm, stopping him.

"What?" He looked at me.

"Allow us." I looked him in the eyes and he nodded.

"Emily you want the honors? To have closure after De?" I slid her my gun and she hesitated before grabbing it.

"Riley... I need to tell you something... After..." Emily gulped as she raised the gun at Jess and hesitantly pulled the trigger, as a bullet pierced her skull.

"We need a new leader. You want the job, kid?" Carlos looked down at me.

"We already have a camp." I spoke.

"Yeah.. About that..." Emily teared up and grabbed Dylan's arm, hoping he'd protect her if I tried to hurt her.

"What? Wait... Wheres Tiffany?!" I stared, eyes wide.

"She's... She's..." Emily began but couldn't finish talking.

"Dead." Darren finished for her.

"And our home is destroyed." Violet spoke.

"No..." I stared.

"So you wanna be in charge?" Carlos looks and I simply nodded.

"Yeah... Yeah sure whatever." I gritted my teeth.

:: ::

Tiffany was dead... Dead!

I knelt by the grass outside Jessica's camp, glancing down at my knife and gun, fists clenched.

I looked down at my blood stained hands and lunged my gun at a tree in anger.

"God damn it!"'I screamed to the heavens. "Why this... Why now!? Why me!? It doesn't make sense!"

I laid down on the grass, and began crying my eyes out.

"Riley... How you holding up bud?" Darren walked to me.

"Shut up..." I mumbled as tears flowed down.

"It's... It's not Emily's fault... Anyone in her shoes woulda done the same..." Darren sat beside me.

"I... I don't blame her. I blame myself. I let this vendetta to avenge De cloud my judgment... And look what happened!" I screamed at him.

"It's not your fault either. It's no ones fault. No one could have known..." Darren sighed. "We need to go back... Back to Jessica's old camp... You need to lead your people."

"It'll take your mind off Tiffany..." Dylan walked up.

"Alright... Alright... I promised I would never give up. And I won't. Not ever. Not even Now. There is no one else they can take away." I stood up and wiped my tears away.

I followed Darren and Dylan back to her camp.

So... They lost their camp. Found new friends, lost some friends, and found a new home. What is in store for our survivors next time? Only time will tell...

* * *

**AN: okay... This is my first time doing this. A small contest or something. I need a name for their new camp to be called (I SUCK AT NAMING PLACES)... So leave a review or pm and I'll pick the best one next time I write. BYE! One more thing - a special thanks to King James10158 for the characters of James and Quinn!**


	23. Season 5 chap 1: Camp Haven

**AN: thanks King James for the name of the camp: Camp Haven!**

* * *

4 months had passed since Riley had taken the lead position in Jessica's old camp, Camp Haven.

| Riley POV |

I lay in my bed, wide awake as the moon shone in the sky and the stars danced. I hadn't gotten a good nights sleep in months. When I do get a few hours, it's always the same... A nightmare. Tiffany, being pulled down screaming and me unable to help. Fucking fantastic, huh? Knowing the one person who helped bring you up, when you were down, is dying and you are unable to help her.

You know, the funny thing is, I don't blame Emily, not at all. I see it in her face when she's near me, she feels immense guilt. I blame myself more than anyone. If I had let her and Emily tag along, they wouldn't of been there when the herd had "blown through" as Emily said.

We went back there to see how the shit looked. I found Tiffany, she was turned. Darren put her down, he wanted to spare me the pain.

There are people in this camp I don't quite trust. A guy, Lyon for one. He's very hostile towards me and Darren, and my group. I mean, I understand, we _are_ new. But the guy could give us half a chance. Whatever, screw him. Screw everyone. I'm done being mister nice guy. I said that before I know, after what John did. Looking back on that, it was a long time coming. He was weak, he felt as if everyone's lives depended on him. Haha... Wow.

We have met new people since this camp had taken us in. A kid, goes by a nickname, Nova. Refuses to say his real name, or why he wants us to call him that. I'm keeping my eye on him, he rubs me the wrong way.

A girl, who is on a major fucking ego trip, name is Fate. She hates everyone except Lyon, mostly every guy, especially me and Dylan I've noticed. She tries to hurt anyone who doesn't do what she wants, when she wants it, how she wants it, except Lyon of course, who is like a brother to her they say. I can't stand her, sometimes I wanna fucking knock the bitch out! I thought Emily was a bitch, this girl gives new meaning to the word bitch. If she hadn't befriended Emily and Violet I _wouldn't_ tolerate her.

A woman, Mary. Or as she wants to be called, Fox. Her dad was a soldier she says, and with her skill and strength, and brutality, you'd think she was trained since childhood to be a soldier too. More importantly, she's Lyons girlfriend. She has no emotions. That girl, she gives me the creeps. It's funny though. I trust her anyhow, I like her, compared to Lyon and Fate, I lIke anyone.

And finally, a guy named Gareth, claims he used to be an MMA fighter. It's believable and all, I mean his fucking weapons are a brass knuckle, can't get much more physical than that! Out of all the new people we've met, honestly I like him and Fox the most. Lyon's a dick, Fate's a bitch, and Nova is creepy as hell.

You know what? I'll go to sleep. Tomorrow's a big day. Did you ever have that feeling while your in bed, you get wide awake, thinking of shit? Would you believe me if I said all this stuff I just said was the thoughts I had before I fell asleep?

I slowly closed my eyes and laid on my side, facing the wall as I drifted off to sleep, and had the same nightmare again almost instantly.

:: ::

I was sitting at my table the next morning, writing on a sheet of paper, items we needed on the run we were going on - Canned foods, ammo, etc.

I heard a knock at the door and said its open. Darren walked in with a blonde guy, with piercing, calculative eyes, who appeared to be only a year older than me. That's Lyon.

"Lyon says he's going on a raid with his girlfriend." Darren spoke to me.

"A raid?" I looked at him, wanting to know what a raid is.

"Were gonna go out, hunt for every Infected, Rotter, Deadskin whatever you call them, and kill them all, even an entire herd if we find it." Lyon seemed to grin.

"You want any soldiers to accompany you?" I asked.

"No. You think we can't handle shit? Well, we can." Lyon glared.

"I know you can handle your own. I've seen it." I sighed. "Good luck."

Without a word, Lyon nodded and left.

"You trust him?" Darren walked to me.

"Hell no." I spoke.

"Neither do I, or that Fox of his." Darren shook his head.

"With them gone, who will accompany us? James and Quinn do guard duty the majority of the time, Emily's _still_ too broken. And Dylan won't go until he's sure Emily's okay." I sighed.

"We have Violet. Carlos. And I hate to say it, I do. But we may need to ask Nova and Fate." Darren sighed.

"Imagine that conversation." I roll my eyes. "I'll take the bitch, spare you a headache. You get nova. If you see Gareth, ask him too."

"Deal. Good luck, don't kill her." Darren grinned.

"I'll try. Meet at the front gate when ready." I walked out without another word.

:: ::

I found the blonde girl, Fate leaning on a wall talking with Emily and Violet.

"May I speak to her alone?" I looked at Emily and Violet as they both nodded and left, almost looking nervous.

"What the hell do you want?" She glared.

"Do me a favor, take that 10 mile high pole out of your ass long enough to have a smart conversation okay?" I glared back.

"What did you say to me?!" She screamed suddenly at me.

"You heard me." I spoke calmly.

"You're a fucking asshole, you know that?" Fate scowled at me, fists clench.

"I acknowledge it. I just pray some day you acknowledge you're a bitch." I smirked.

She looked like she was gonna attack me suddenly, but Emily and Violet ran in, getting between us.

"This happens way too much..." Violet mumbled.

"Now, the reason I came to talk to the queen bee wannabe." I grinned and she kept scowling at me. "We're going on a run. Wanna partake?"

"Where's Lyon?" Fate asked after a few moments, with a giant, evil grin. "Usually you pick him over little ol' me."

"Little?" I gasped. "You got one giant ego you know that? I don't see why, you're nothing special."

"You'll change your tone if you want me, Riley." Fate grinned.

"I couldn't want you any less. It was Darren's idea to ask you. Honestly, it's either you or Nova. I chose you. The kids scared of his own shadow." I chuckled and she stifled a giggle.

"So whose all going?" Fate asked.

"Me, Darren, Carlos, Violet." I nodded at Violet who smiled with a nod. "You if you agree, and Darren's going to find Gareth to ask him. He's also gonna sadly ask Nova."

"Come with me. Ladies first." Fate grinned and walked away motioning for me to follow.

"I can't stand her..." I mumbled, following, Violet after saying bye to Emily, followed too.

:: ::

We met Darren at the front gate, with Carlos, A small scrawny kid, Nova, and a tall guy, with big muscles, Gareth.

"So where to?" Violet asked, getting her arrows ready.

"Darren, you explain it." I nodded to him.

"There's a place almost a hundred miles away, it was a gated community before this shit. It's vacant now, or so we think. There are over fifty houses there, we are gonna drive there. Raid the houses, canned food, weapons, anything. We are taking two cars. Nova, Carlos, Violet, your with me. Fate, and Gareth, your with Riley." Darren grinned.

"Shotgun!" Fate called, jumping into the passengers seat of one car.

"Whats with her?" Gareth whispered to me.

"Hell if I know." I sighed, Darren tossed me car keys and I caught them. "I'm driving."

"Good luck with a psycho at your side." Gareth got in the backseat with a grin.

"I'll need the luck." I got in the drivers seat, and drove off, following Darren's car.

:: ::

"Does the radio work?" Fate tried working it and I pushed her hand away.

"No. It doesn't." I kept my eyes on the road.

"Wow, what an ass." Fate pouted.

"Shut up." I mumbled, earning an angry glare from her.

"Hey, be nice. I don't have to join." Fate scowled at me.

"I'll be nice when Infected talk." I mumbled, and heard Gareth chuckle.

"Why the hell did you join then?" Gareth asked, also tired of her shit.

"Cause I wanted to." She frowned. "Is that a crime?"

"I asked you to come, so you came." I didn't look at her.

"Well, aren't you a gentleman." She grinned.

"Screw off." I mumbled.

I saw Darren park near a gate and a sign that read: Sunshine Estates.

"Sunshine? Happiness has ended." Gareth grit his teeth.

"Let's go." I opened the car and jumped out, nodding at Darren as we kicked the gate open, guns drawn. As we entered a strong gust of wind blown down a bush in the front, showing a bloodied sign that ready: _No one enter, if you know what's good for you._

No one noticed the sign, as we had already entered.

* * *

**AN: thanks to my friends in real life for Gareth, Mary, Lyon, and Fate!**


	24. Season 5 chap 2: Separated

| Riley POV |

I cautiously looked around. The place seemed vacant.

"Lets check that house." Darren pointed and I nodded going in after him, we saw two Infected.

I ran pinning one to the wall, as Darren slammed a knife into it's skull. Violet shot an arrow into the other one's skull. No one noticed when Nova snuck out.

"Okay, me, Darren, and Violet will get this one. The rest of you check the one across the street." I ran upstairs.

After a few minutes we heard a loud gunshot echoed, me, Darren, and Violet sprinted there.

We saw Fate raising her gun, a dead Infected laying before her.

"You guys okay?" I breathed.

"Duh." Fate scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Uh... You guys hear that?" Violet paled and widened her eyes. I heard it now too, moans. Loud, many. Suddenly the closed door me, Darren, and Violet entered was being scratched at. As were the windows, Carlos looked out the window and saw ten at the door, and more coming.

"Fuck!" Fate hissed.

I looked around seeing we were down one man.

"Wait. Where the hell is nova!?" My eyes went wide. "I'm going to find him, you all stay here, if they bust in, run and drive off okay? We'll be back."

"Wait, Riley!" Fate called but I was already out the back door and sprinting.

:: ::

| Nova POV |

Sunshine Estates... That name rings alarm bells. Why?

I noticed a stray Infected, milling around a house. I pulled my pistol out, and aimed it. The creature turned to me as I did and I paled, my eyes widening.

No... It can't be...

"D-Daddy..." I mumbled, tearing up, still aiming but not shooting.

Now I know why this place sounded familiar. I grew up here... Sunshine Estates - It was like that for everyone but me. I stood where I was as he got closer.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I found the kid, aiming his gun at a single Infected, as it got closer.

"Nova! Don't shoot!" I called, ran to the Infected, and grabbed it from behind stabbing it with my knife as it dropped.

Nova dropped to his knees, crying as he held the body.

"What the hell are you doing? It was an undead..." I looked at the kid.

"No it fucking wasn't!" He screamed at me. "D-daddy..."

"Daddy?" My eyes widened.

"Are you fucking deaf?!" He screamed at me.

"Shh shh shh... Shut up. Or you'll lure the Infected here nova!" I ordered. I knelt beside him, I gently touched his arm. "Listen, I lost people too. My mom and sister were murdered by my best friend. I don't even know where the hell _my_ dad is..."

"Don't fucking touch me!" He yelled, louder. "Just go!"

"No! Not without you! I lost too many people! I ain't losing you too!" I grabbed his arm forcing him to his feet. "We are going whether you like it or not, Nova!"

He struggled to pull away but my grip was too strong, as I pulled him after me.

When we found the house I left the others at, the windows and door were busted open. I ran in and saw it vacant.

"They got out..." I breathed.

"Just go. You'll be faster without dragging my ass around." Nova looked at me.

"Not in your dreams. No man left behind. Let's go!" I grabbed his hand, running off again towards the front gate.

:: ::

| Darren POV - minutes before Nova and Riley returned |

The door bust down as we all backed away, eyes wide.

"We gotta go!" Violet hissed.

"Not without Riley!" Fate screamed, then a moment later added. "And Nova!"

"Riley gave us orders to leave them if their late!" Darren screamed back at Fate as everyone ran out, except Fate who joined a little later.

:: ::

| Riley POV - Present Times |

"We gotta go, nova!" I pulled him after me as he struggled, but still didn't have enough strength to pull away.

We saw the cars skidding away as we exited the gates.

"Hey! Darren! Violet! Wait!" I screamed after them but no one seemed to hear. "Fuck!"

"You do know the way back right?" Nova looked at me.

I just bust out laughing, this was all so absurd!

"I'll take that as a no..." Nova sighed.

"Do you?" I looked at him.

"No... Your the one who drove here!" nova yelled at me.

"I followed Darren the whole time, plus Fate kept annoying the fuck out of me!" I screamed back.

"Yeah. Your little girlfriend." novA sighed.

"Screw you." I mumbled, pissed at what he said.

"Why... Why did you return for me?" Nova looked at me.

"My friend, before he fell off the deep end, always taught me never leave a man behind. No matter who it is." I answered.

"Wish he taught them that." Nova pointed to the ways the cars went.

"They didn't see us." I sighed.

:: ::

| Darren POV - returning to camp Haven |

I solemnly opened the door after we parked.

"Where's Riley and Nova?" Emily ran up.

"They got left behind... We got separated from Nova, and Riley went to find him... I don't know if their still alive." Violet answered sadly.

"We need to go back!" Fate ordered. "Please, Darren! I may hate them both, but I don't want their blood on my hands!"

"He gave us an order, we need to respect that." Darren walked off.

"Did Lyon and Fox return yet?" Gareth asked.

"No." Dylan answered. "Were missing four people."

"Their tough, don't worry. I've known Riley for a long time, he'll make it back." Emily sighed. "He'll protect Nova. Lyon and Fox are tough too. I can feel it."

"Shut up." Fate mumbled, walking off.

"What?"'Emily just stared.

:: ::

| Riley's POV - Trying to find way back, 94 miles away |

"We're so fucking dead!" Nova mumbled, tearing up.

"Don't talk like that! Were gonna be okay, I promise." I looked him in the eyes.

"How do you know that?" He looked at me.

"Because I do." I turned away and kept walking.

I looked out at the horizon, gulping as I envision the journey ahead. We got separated, we couldn't be more fucked.


	25. Season 5 chap 3: Lost

| Riley POV - a flashback |

I sat down in the last class of the day, the day before my high school graduation.

I saw a boy sit in the seat beside me with a giant grin on his face.

"Hey, man!" The grin widened somehow.

"Why the hell are you so happy, John?" I stared at him.

"Tomorrow we graduate!" John looked at the ceiling and leaned back in his chair. "Can you believe it?"

"No. I can't. Honestly." I sighed and smiled.

"Sad shit is that my parents are still on vacation." John frowned.

"My ma and sis are coming definitely they said." I grinned.

"I love your family, man." John grinned at me and I just smiled, as the bell rang, for us to leave. "See ya tomorrow!"

He ran out as I stood and left

:: ::

Present times...

Three hours had passed since me and Nova got left behind. I knelt by a river, splashing the cold water on my face as Nova knelt beside me.

"How the hell will we find our way back?" He whispered.

"I don't know. Shut up about it, we'll be okay. I promise." I glanced at him and he just sighed with a nod.

"I hope your right." He stood and looked down at me.

"When am I not?" I stood with a grin.

"When you risked your life to save mine." He glared. "You should of let me die. At least you woulda been with the others when they left!"

"Show some fucking gratitude, Nova! At least we are both still here! We just gotta-" I cut off as I heard footsteps.

"Infected?" Nova whispered.

"No. The feet are moving too fast. Get down!" I hissed as I pulled him with me as we ducked behind a bush.

Nova cocked his gun as a boy came into view and aimed it through the bush.

"Don't you dare, nova." I hissed at him, as he went to shoot.

I pushed his arm down as he shot, making the bullet miss, and hit the ground, as the kid turned.

"Damn it, Riley!" Nova glared at me.

"He's harmless it seems." I whispered. The kid only had only a sword with him.

"I see and hear you two." The kid gripped the hilt of the blade. "Come on out!"

"Let's go Nova. Don't shoot him." I said as I stood and raised my arms, as the kid just looked at us, Nova stood a few moments later.

"Don't do anything rash, kid..." I began slowly walking forward as Nova grabbed my arm and I looked at him. "Trust me, I got this."

He sighed, letting go as I kept walking to the kid.

"Who the hell are you?" The kid gripped his sword tighter.

"Riley. That's Nova." I nodded. "Your turn."

He stared at us for a few moments before speaking.

"Matthew." He answered.

"Matthew... You alone?" I asked.

"Yeah... Have been for a while..." Matt answered.

"Me and my buddy here... We got separated from _our_ group. You help us find them and reunite... You can join us." I looked at him, and he just stared. "Deal?"

"Deal." Matt stared at me and extended his hand, which I took and shook it.

:: ::

| Lyon POV - Somewhere a few miles from Nova and Riley |

"Are we really lost?" I groaned, and kicked a pebble into a tree hard.

"Afraid so." Fox sighed, rubbing her brow. "We got lost within that herd and wound up... God knows where."

"You got an inkling on where to go?" I looked at my girlfriend, who shrugged. "Great..."

"Let's just keep walking." Fox spoke as she quickened her pace, and we went on in silence for a bit.

Suddenly a gunshot echoed, and we sprinted to it.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

We heard more feet as I turned and saw Lyon and Fox heading for us.

"Who are they?" Matt gripped his sword tighter.

"Stop." I touched his arm gently as a sign to lower it. "Their with our group."

"Riley. Why the hell are you here?" Lyon stared at me.

"At Sunshine Estates, Nova got separated, and when I went to find him we got left behind." I answered.

"You two don't know the way back either, I'm guessing." Lyon sighed.

"Yep, pretty much." I rolled my eyes.

"Let's start walkin' back, then." Lyon groaned and walked off, as the rest of us followed.

:: ::

| Fate POV - Back at camp |

"Darren please, they've been gone for hours! We gotta send out a search team!" I begged him.

Why the fuck was I getting so worried?!

"We can't." Darren sighed. "We have orders not to go."

"I'll go then. Alone." Carlos went to a car and left without another word.

:: ::

| Carlos POV |

I drove the car, scanning the forests at my side.

Where the hell are they... Could they have perished inside Sunshine Estates?

No. In the short time I knew them, their tough. They wouldn't be dead that easy.

I got distracted in my thoughts, and worry and didn't notice a ton of undead in front of my car as I swerved to avoid them and went into a ditch, getting knocked out on impact.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

We heard Infected moaning and I knelt by a ditch, seeing one of our camps cars, and the Infected having broken the window, were eating whoever was inside.

"Who is that?" Lyon looked at me.

"Carlos." I stuttered, and gulped.

Nova teared up, and started crying at the sight.

The Infected heard the crying and turned to us, beginning to walk.

"Shit!" Lyon hissed and aimed his gun, shooting. I aimed mine, firing shots, as Fox did the same.

"How many are there?!" My eyes went wide, as I spun around seeing more coming out of the woods.

"Damn it!" Matthew hissed, as he slashed with his sword, cutting one's head off.

I looked at Nova, seeing him balled up, crying.

"Damn it, Nova! We need you!" I hissed at him.

"Why... Why!?" Nova kept sobbing.

"The kids useless..." Fox hissed.

"Shut up." I kept shooting.

As the last one fell, I turned, seeing the Infected version of Carlos grab Nova. I swung my gun, knocking him back into the ditch.

"Lyon!" I hissed, as he nodded, shooting the Infected in the head.

"The burns from when he swerved. Right here." Fox knelt by the side of the road, then pointed. "He came from that way."

"We aren't too far." I sighed, helping Nova up. "Let's go."

I pulled him after me as we kept walking, in silence. It wasn't long before we spotted the huge gates of Camp Haven. James was leaning on the wall, looking down, Quinn was pacing back and forth, speaking. We couldn't hear what either said.

* * *

**AN: P.S. Thanks bearclaw for the char of Matt!**


	26. Season 5 chap 4: Reunion

| Riley POV |

I hugged Nova tightly, as I grinned at the large gates of Camp Haven. I let go and smiled.

"We did it!" I cheered.

"Let's go!" Lyon grinned and ran for the gate with Fox following, and me, Nova, and Matt following.

"Quinn! James!" I called. They turned and their eyes widened.

"Is it really you?" Quinn breathed.

"It's them... Get Darren and the others... Their back!" James called, and Quinn ran inside.

"Their back!?" I heard Fate shriek.

"Damn that girls loud.." I mumbled.

"Yeah... Jesus..." Matt chuckled.

The gate busted open, as everyone ran out to greet us.

"Your back!" Fate hugged me, and I pilled away.

"It's fine. Not like I died. Whats up?" I glared at her.

"Shut up." She scowled.

"Whose that?" Dylan looked at Matt.

"A friend. Matt." I smiled. "Matt, this is the group."

"What did we miss?" Lyon walked back into the camp.

"Carlos went to look for you" Darren followed him, as the rest followed, except James, who remained on guard duty.

"We found Him." I spoke.

"Dead." Fox finished for me, and Nova started crying again.

"It's okay, Nova..." I grabbed his arm, and he pulled away and punched me across the face suddenly, as I stared, eyes wide.

"What the..." I breathed, as he suddenly swung again and I ducked underneath it. "I'm not fighting you, Nova!"

"Shut up!" He screamed, as he pulled out a knife and swung it at me and I barely dodged, getting nicked on the cheek.

Suddenly Nova was on the ground, with Lyon on top of him, pinning him. Lyon punched him across the face one time. Two times. Three.

Me and Darren managed to pry Lyon off the kid barely as Lyon struggled. Nova stood, anger filling his eyes where sadness was a moment ago.

"I'm fucking done with this group!" He screamed as he stormed to the front gate.

"Wait! Nova! I called after him but Fate grabbed my arm.

"Let the asshole go. He tried to kill you." She glared at Nova as he left.

"Nova..." I breathed, as he left.

"You saved his life. And how did he repay you? By trying to kill you." Lyon scoffed.

"I'm tired, I'll go rest." I walked off, with a sigh.

:: ::

| Darren POV - after Riley walked off |

"What's his problem?" Fate sighed angrily, crossing her arms.

"He's pissed. This isn't the first time a friend betrayed him, tried to hurt him." Emily answered

"When will he learn not to help everyone?" Lyon sighed. "Eventually it'll bite you in the ass like that."

"I think he's learned that now, that's why he's so pissed." Violet sighed.

"Yeah. Probably." I sighed. "Quinn go help your brother on guard duty, Matt come with me, I'll show you around."

Matt nodded and followed me as I walked off.

"This group is dysfunctional as Hell..." Lyon sighed.

"With Nova gone, we're one psycho down." Fate grinned.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I closed the door shut to my room as I entered and plopped on my bed.

Nova... What a fucking child. I risked my bacon to save his and he didn't even fucking show an ounce of gratitude. Maybe I should have left him to die to his father.

If I ever see his ass again, he's dead. It's just a matter of time before he returns to hurt someone else. This time it might be Fate or Lyon. Not that I care about Fate at all. Humph!

If I catch a whiff of Nova's scent, he's dead.

God, I'm tired... I don't know what to do... If I sleep he might sneak in and kill me in my sleep.

I trust Quinn and James on guard duty... I'll take this opportunity to sleep.

My eyes shut as I fell asleep.

:: ::

| Nova POV |

Fucking group... Weak people. God, why couldn't Riley have just let me die!?

I turned and saw a group of Infected chasing me, as I backed away. Damn it! I closed my eyes as suddenly gunshots rang out.

It better not be fucking Riley!

I opened them as I saw a group of people around me.

"What do you want?" I breathed.

A man in the front grinned.

"An ally." He spoke, I just stared and nodded as he handed me a gun.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I woke the next day, and got up, exiting my room groggily as Emily and Violet greeted me with a wave and a smile.

"Morning." I smiled. "Seen Darren around?"

"Yeah. He's with Fate, Lyon and Fox by the gate." Emily answered.

"Alright." I nodded and walked to them.

"Good morning." Darren grinned.

"What's our plans for the days?" I asked.

"Me and Fox are going on a hunt. You, fate, and Darren are going on a run. That okay with you?" Lyon looked at me.

"Yeah." I nodded, as we left.

What awaits us next time? What's with Nova's new "ally's"? Are they a threat? Friendly?


	27. Season 6 chap 1: Nova

| Riley POV |

Two months have passed since Nova left to God knows where. And you know what? This may seem mean to say, and I don't fucking care if you hate me for this (breaking fourth wall XD) but I couldn't care less if that pest of a pipsqueak died, got eaten, shot, I don't care. As long as I never see him again I'm happy.

Suddenly the door to my room opened, and Darren came in wide eyed.

"Darren?" I looked at him.

"Lyon... He came back from his last hunt with shocking news. He wants you to hear it!" Darren stared at me.

"Lead the way." I followed him out to where I saw Lyon talking with Matt, Fate, Fox, Emily, Dylan, and Violet.

"Riley." Lyon turned to me and Darren as we walked up.

"What's up?" I looked at him.

"I can't believe it..." Emily shook her head with a sigh.

"Huh?" I looked at her then back to Lyon.

"It's Nova." Lyon began and I tilted my head. "He's now the leader of some camp. We saw it on our hunt, they treated the asshole like he was a king."

"He has a vendetta against us, Riley." Violet looked at me. "You specifically."

"Leave him be, for now." I sighed.

"What? You can't be serious!" Emily yelled at me.

"He comes here, he will wish he hadn't." I looked at her, calmly. "You don't think I'm doing the right thing? Making the right call?"

"Normally, I'm with you 100% Riley. But this time... I just don't know." Emily looked down.

"This isn't like with Jess or Dante... This is different." Darren began. "Nova - he's dangerous. Unstable. He's erratic."

"Yeah. He is." Lyon looked at me.

"Something has to be done, Riley. Before he hurts one of us." Fate looked at me, and I looked back, and just sighed.

"Nova may be unpredictable but he's also weak. He don't got the balls to kill one of us. We all know it." I looked at them.

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Dylan looked down.

"I am." I glared at Dylan.

"Fine." Fate crossed her arms. "We won't do shit, but say he comes back. Kills one of us, I'm blaming you."

I sighed.

"Fine." I broke. She was right. Damn it! When did I start agreeing with a bitch... "Darren. Go with Lyon and Fox, scope out the place. If they show signs of being bad, attacking us. Return here and tell me. Got it? Don't get spot."

"Alright." Darren nodded.

The three left Camp Haven to scope out the place.

:: ::

| Lyon POV |

I knelt with Darren and my girlfriend outside of Nova's new camp, hidden amongst the trees.

"Seems small." Darren whispered.

"Shh. They might hear you." Fox hissed.

Darren shut up, and kept hawk eyes watching Nova's every movement. The kid seemed nervous. Of course. He wasn't qualified. Riley was qualified, but not as much as one would hope. I saw a girl approach Nova with a grin, and they were talking.

I wish I could hear what they were saying... Shit!

:: ::

| Nova POV |

So. This camp. It's mine. Sweet. Once were geared up enough I'll be going to take out those pest's Lyon and Riley.

The girl, who I named my second in charge came up, and nodded a hello.

"Nowi?" I looked at her. "You have news to report?"

"Yes." She smiled. "We are almost ready to attack. Give us another hour or so."

"Hurry up." I ordered and she grinned, before leaving.

"Something on your mind?" A man looked up from where he was sitting.

"We are so close. I can almost see their fear." I grinned.

:: ::

| Lyon POV |

"It's time to go back!" I pointed to people leaving the gate, Nova and that girl included.

"Shit!" Darren hissed and went to sneak back to Camp Haven.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

"Their back!" Quinn came running to me.

"Darren?" I looked at him.

"Yes." Darren walked up behind him with Lyon and Fox.

"What's the word?" Fate asked.

"He's got a group. On the way here." Lyon answered.

"Get your weapons!" I ordered, as everyone went to obey. "Don't fire until I say so."

"You better be good at timing." Fate hissed.

"Of course." I walked to the front gate and saw the group, heading our way.

"How many?" Darren walked up.

"Almost thirty, Nova included." I answered.

"We're badly outnumbered." James whispered.

"Shut up. Don't show fear." Lyon hissed.

"Hello again. Riley. Lyon." Nova walked up, grinning.


	28. Season 6 chap 2: The Deal

**AN: by the way, a fair warning... no one is safe. (Hint hint)**

* * *

| Riley POV |

I stared at Nova, unspeaking, as anger flooded me.

"What? No talking?" The girl beside Nova grinned.

"Your girlfriend?" I looked at Nova.

"Hell no. She's my second in command, like Darren is yours." Nova grinned.

"Nova. What do you gotta say? That your sorry?" Lyon mocked.

"Shut it." Nova scowled at Lyon.

"Why you..." Lyon almost lunged at Nova but was held back by Fox and Darren.

"Another outburst like that, your all dead." Nova grinned.

"What do you want?" I glared.

"A deal. Surrender and we will leave you alone. Fight with us, you'll be the ones who lose. Got it?" Nova grinned, looking at me.

"We'll give you a week to think it through." The girl looked at me and glared, as I just looked at Nova.

"We'll be back." Nova turned and they left.

"We aren't surrendering." Darren hissed.

"We worked too hard for this place." Violet hissed.

"You can't seriously be considering it." Fate looked at me.

"I'm not." I spoke. "We stand and fight. As a team, like always."

"Gear up, they'll be back in a week." I walked back in.

:: ::

| Nova POV |

"Think they believed us?" Nowi sat beside me.

"Of course." I smiled.

"So were going tonight? While their asleep?" - looked at me. "Clever..."

"Yep." I smiled and stood, looking out at the setting sun.

"We strike at midnight." I smiled. "You will go with Keith."

"I'll tell Keith." Nowi walked off.

Now, for those of you who think that lying and sneak attacking is weak. Just remember the old saying "All's fair in love and war." And this is definitely war now. (Again broke 4th wall...)

:: ::

| James POV |

I heard a twig snap behind me, at almost midnight that night. I motioned for Quinn to Check it out. Quinn started slowly creeping towards it, gun drawn. Suddenly a baseball bat came from behind a tree and slammed into Quinn's face, instantly knocking him out.

I gasped, aimed my gun steadily and fired a single shotgun shot at the tree, the splatter of the bullet splintering the tree but I heard a groan, as a man dropped to his knees, holding a bloody hand.

I heard a noise behind me as I went to finish him, and turned, seeing the girl that was with Nova. Pistol with a silencer installed pressed to my forehead.

"Bye bye." She grinned as the trigger was pulled and I dropped.

:: ::

| Nowi POV |

"Some of them would of heard that brats shot. We gotta hurry." I hissed at Keith as he held his hand, and slowly handed me a paper With instructions.

"House on the far left... She's there. Why does Nova want to kidnap this Fate girl?" Keith looked at me, pain evident in his face.

"He's convinced Riley has a thing for her, and she's practically Lyon's sister, take down two walls with one stone." I grinned as I slowly entered the sleeping camp, and soon found the house, slowly entering.

I gently lifted the blonde girl and carried her out, slow as not to wake her or anyone.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I jolted awake, hearing the alarm. I stood and ran out, seeing Emily, Violet, Darren, and Dylan, staring wide eyed at Lyon who pulled the alarm.

"What's the cause for alarm?" I ran up.

"James... He's shot dead... Quinn is knocked out... And Fate is missing!" Lyon filled us in.

"Fate?!" Emily gasped.

"James... Dead?" Violet stared in awe. "Riley...?"

I was staring at Lyon, unspeaking.

"Nova... He fucking lied!" Darren almost screamed.

"What do you expect from a coward?" Lyon scoffed. "A fair fight?"

"Fate..." I breathed, anger in my eyes.

"Riley? It's okay, we'll get her back..." Emily looked at me.

"Dylan go with darren, help bring in their bodies."'I motioned, and they went to do as told.

"There's no telling what their doing to her. We got no time to waste." Violet urged.

:: ::

| Fate POV |

I woke tied to a chair in a pitch dark room. My eyes went wide. Where the fuck was I?! I struggled against the ropes binding me to the chair, and after realize how futile it was, I stopped.

Nova... He's behind this! I know it! That bastard!

The lights turned on and the door opened, as Nova walked in with that girl.

"Nowi, you can go. She can't harm me. She's weak." Nova motioned and the girl sighed before leaving.

"Hey ass!" I called to Nova.

"Such childish." Nova shook his head.

"Why am I here?" I scowled.

"The two main threats in that piece of crap camp, Riley and Lyon. They both care deeply for you. This will make them both come, and they will be killed on the spot." Nova grinned and knelt in front of me.

"Care for me? Lyon maybe. But Riley? He said he would kill me himself if he could. I heard him tell Darren that." I scoffed.

"Oh and Darren. Need I mention how I will brutally kill him. Huh? I know Riley looks up to him like a father figure. His loss will mean Riley becoming unstable. Lyon also, after I finish off that pesky Fox." Nova looked into my eyes and kept grinning. "And need I say, one of my... Associates. Has ended the very life of one James.

"J-James...?" I gasped. "You fucking monster!"

"Oh yes... One second life was filling him up. The next? He was face planted on the ground a bullet through his thick skull. Funny how fast a life can be taken, no? Life is sacred. Which is why I'm doing this. I don't want more bloodshed, Fate. I just don't see out two groups living hand in hand!" Nova backed away, anger in his eyes.

"Riley and Lyon are smart... They won't fall for this!" I screamed at him.

"They will if they want you back. Or I'll just send them one of your fingers, to show them I have you..." Nova pulled out his knife.

"No no no!" I struggled. Bastard was gonna cut my finger off! Jesus!

"Stop struggling!" He suddenly smacked me.

"Asshole!" I screamed, a red handprint on my cheek.

"Watch your tone, less you don't like ten fingers." Nova smirked.

"When Riley or Lyon find out..." I was sheathing with anger. "You are dead..."

"No, miss Fate. You are dead. I'm gonna have my men capture Riley and Lyon... And bring them here to watch you die." Nova smirked and began walking back to the door. "Till then, good night."

The lights shut off as Nova left, and I could no longer see shit.

Riley... Lyon... He's right. They are gonna fall for it. Is this where my storyline really ends? Tied to some chair in a room I can't even see?! Damn it!

"I will fucking kill you all!" I shrieked as loud as I could.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

"Tomorrow we are leaving, okay?" I looked at Darren and Lyon.

"Will do." Darren grinned weakly, and looked over at the now awake Quinn who was crying over his brothers body.

"A shame..." I sighed.

"Were you that much of a wreck after your sis?" Lyon looked at me and I just stared at him. I hadn't told him about that. "Uh... Darren and Emily told me."

"Yeah. I wanted to end myself, I won't lie. Quinn is one tough kid, he'll pull through. Let's leave him be. But keep an eye on him." I walked off.

Fate.. we won't fail to save you. I promise! I promise. I'm not losing another friend after James. If one would even call you a friend...


	29. Season 6 chap 3: Payback

| Fate POV |

I leaned my head against the hard wood of the chair and started tearing up. This is honestly where I end...

No! I gotta keep faith in Riley and Lyon! Their gonna be here. Their gonna save me... I know they will!

The door slammed open and the light turned on, blinding me. When I saw again, the first thing I saw was Nova. Grinning like a fucking mad man!

He walked to me and tilted his head, kneeling in front of me and the grin widened.

"Why aren't you a lil tied up?" Nova chuckled.

"How long have you been planning that?" I rolled my eyes.

"A few hours, honestly. Funny huh?" Nova laughed.

"Like a lobotomy..." I scoffed. His grin faded and suddenly he smacked me hard across the face. "Damn it!"

"Your gonna bite your tongue, less you want more." Nova smirked.

"I'm not scared of you. But you should be scared. Of Lyon and Riley." I grinned, ignoring the searing pain in my face.

"Ah yes... It's been a day since you got here. Seems like they ain't coming, huh?" Nova smirked. "They left you for dead. They couldn't give two craps for you!"

"Shut up!" I yelled.

"No. They have three more hours, then I kill you. Good luck relying on two assholes." Nova stood and walked off. "Oh and one more thing. Even if they do come, you'll die. With them."

He opened the door and left as the lights this time stayed on.

Dear God... He's a mad man... Their gonna walk into the trap and die! Damn! I never felt so useless! No. Their my only hope...

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I leaned against the outside wall of our camp with Quinn and Darren. Quinn was shaking, and sheathing from rage.

"I'm gonna kill... Nova..." Quinn managed barely.

"We all want that..." Darren sighed, looking down.

"We're all geared up." Gareth walked to us.

"Whose coming?" Quinn looked up shakily.

"Your not. Your unstable. Your staying back with Becca and Matthew." I stared him in the eyes and he groaned and punched the wall.

"Seriously? Okay. Whatever." Quinn sighed.

"You ready, Riley?" Lyon walked out.

"I was born ready." I stood.

"Way to be cliche." Darren grinned.

"Shut it." I scoffed.

"Violet and Emily are gearing up." Lyon walked back in. He was emotionless.

"Me, Dylan Violet, Emily, Gareth, Riley, Lyon, and Fox are going." Darren spoke.

I nodded as the others came out.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Ready." Dylan nodded.

:: ::

We arrived at Nova's camp.

"Quiet." Gareth breathed.

"Too quiet." Dylan breathed.

Suddenly I heard footsteps and drew my pistol as about fifteen men surrounded us, including Nowi and Keith, holding us at gunpoint.

"Fuck..." I mumbled.

"Drop your weapons." Nova walked up. "You are outnumbered."

"Do as he says. He's right." Darren was the first to obey, and the rest of us quickly followed.

"Keith. You and your brother. Take Riley and Lyon. Follow me." Nova commanded as me and Lyon were escorted after him.

:: ::

We entered a prison-like room and saw a single chair. A brutally beaten Fate was tied to it. She gasped when she saw us.

"Riley..." Nova grinned. "You were a little late. You and your friend, Lyon."

"Were fast enough to beat your ass!" Lyon spat.

"She was almost beat to death waiting for you..." Nova frowned.

"And you blame us?" I scoffed.

"Your blame is mistaken." Lyon grinned.

"Is it?" Nova smirked and smacked the girl again, as she gasped, tearing up. "Another outburst, it'll be worst."

"Stop!" I screamed.

"I warned you!" He hit her again, harder.

I started tearing up at the sight, Lyon remained emotionless. I had to think of something!

He was gonna kill her at this rate! Come on... Think!

"Nova... Stop it you asshole!" Lyon screamed, suddenly to everyone's shock.

"That's it." He pulled out a pocket knife and put it to her finger and in one swift motion took her finger off, as she screamed, crying hard.

Something snapped inside me, seeing that. Every emotion I was feeling - sadness, anger, guilt. All disappeared in a flash.

Without thinking I ran at Nova as the men raised their guns on me. Lyon grabbed one by the arm, throwing him into the other, making them both drop the guns. He kicked one toward me and picked up the other, aiming at the two men.

"Don't move." Lyon spat.

Nova put his knife to Fates neck, and I pushed his hand away as I tackled him, making the knife fly against the wall.

I punched him square in the face numerous times as he struggled to hit me. He spit blood in my face as I punched his gut. I grabbed the gun, aimed and fired at him, hitting him in the face.

"Asshole." I breathed.

I knelt by fate, untying her.

"Your gonna be okay... Your gonna be okay... Lyon! Get a first aid kit or something! Hurry up!" I held Fate's good hand, as she cried.

Lyon stared for a moment before shooting the two guys he had at gunpoint and running out. After a few minutes that felt like years Lyon ran in and tossed me a first aid kit, I caught it.

I took out everything I need - stitches, gauze, disinfectant. (If I'm missing something don't leave a review. I don't know crap about hospital shit.) I began operating on the stump as I sighed in relief after the gauze was on. Fate looked at me, still tearing up as she hugged me, crying into my shoulder.

"It's okay... It's okay..." I soothed as she pushed me away.'

"Shut up." She scoffed.

"You gonna be alright?" Lyon asked.

"Of course. I always am." Fate grinned.

"That you are." I stood and smiled.

"Let's go." Lyon began to walk out but stopped. "Oh yeah. I killed all the guards near our friends. But one escaped. Nowi."

"She'll need to be hunted down and executed." I nodded and he smirked with a nod before leaving. And I followed behind with Fate.

I smiled at everyone as we returned to Camp Haven, told everyone Nova was dead. I told Fate to rest, and she happily obliged.


	30. Season 7 chap 1: Doubt

**AN: so I'm pretty sure this'll be a depressing season, we'll have to see ;)**

* * *

| Riley POV |

3 months have passed since Nova had been defeated, Nowi was still somewhere out there. Hiding, dead. I don't know, nor care, we gave up the search a month ago.

I'm sitting in my room right now, with Darren. We are talking about what to do next.

Darren leaned back in the chair and sighed.

"A run?" he asked.

"No." I shook my head. "We barely made it back last time. Remember?"

"Yeah. Your right." Darren sighed then jumped to his feet as Emily ran in.

"A...A herd... Spotted..." She was out of breath. "Near us... Lyon already left, with Fox, Matt, and Gareth... To either dispose of it, or lead it away..."

"Alright. Their tough. Let them handle this." I smiled with a nod.

"You sure we can't send more people? Hell, I'll go!" Darren looked at me.

"Yes I'm sure. Lyon and Fox beat herds before. Now they got Matthew and Gareth with them. Their fine." I sighed.

"I hope your right about this." Emily sighed as she left.

"Me too." Darren followed her.

What's with them questioning me... I mean... I can't be that bad of a leader. Can I? _Am I?_

No. I'm not. I mean I've made mistakes... But who hasn't?

:: ::

| Fate POV |

I cringed and winced as I removed the gauze on my hand where my finger used to be. God, the stump was ugly... It almost made me gag... And shit it hurt like a fucker...

I don't think it healed right. I shouldn't be complaining in all honesty... I don't have the comfort of a true doctor... But whatever that Riley guy did worked... It didn't get infected, and I didn't die from blood loss. Thank God...

:: ::

| Riley POV |

"Riley!" Emily's voice rang loudly, jolting me from sleep. I had taken the opportunity to take a small nap. Damn... What could be happening? Are Lyon and the others back?

I ran to her and saw her kneeling by Gareth, who was on his knees, panting.

"I got... Separated... From the others... I don't know what happened!" Gareth groaned. I gasped as I saw a giant bite on his arm.

"Your bit, Gareth..." I breathed.

"I know... I feel the fever taking affect..." He chuckled despite the pain. "Shoot me, Riley... Emily... Someone. Do it!"

Without hesitating, Emily took her gun out of the holster and aimed.

"I'm sorry..." She mumbled as she fired a single bullet into his brain.

"What now? Lyon said the herd was bigger than any he fought before!" Violet looked at me, fear evident in her eyes.

"I know. We wait for either them or the herd." I walked off.

"Then what?!" Emily called after me.

"I don't know." I sighed as I kept walking.

"Come back!" Emily suddenly screamed at the top of her lunges. "Maybe John wasn't entirely wrong about you!"

That made me stop walking as I didn't turn back, but was listening.

"Riley! You act on your gut! But you can't! Almost every choice you made was for the wrong! It's clear! Almost everyone who died, was caused by you! _John was right!_" She screamed at me.

"Oh was he now?" I turned back to her, anger inside me growing.

"Yes. He was! Valerie and my father - if you just took down Dante when you first met him, they would still be here! Your own mom and sis - If you just knew what John was, then they would still be here! De - If you just killed Jess instead of making us drop our weapons he would still be here! James and Carlos - if you just didn't go back to save that dick Nova, then they would still be here!" That James line made Quinn gasp. Emily suddenly smirked. "And Tiffany? It was your poor leading that caused her death too, Riley! You left her with someone who was obviously incapable of saving her! And yes, I know that I'm talking bout me. I was torn about De, and you left her with me! I was unstable, you said it yourself! I know you don't blame me, Riley! Darren told me you don't. But I blame you!"

I just stared at her for a few moments without thinking.

"Is that what you really think of me, Emily?" I spoke through grit teeth.

"Yes. Riley, it is. You need to quit acting on your gut feeling! That has failed so many fucking times! The only times it's ever succeeded was when you had help! Like with Lyon helping you against Nova!" Emily screamed at me, her face red from anger. "Are you ever gonna admit your incapable! Your more dangerous to us than those Infected are!"

I blinked and bit my tongue, trying not to talk. I won't stoop to her level.

"Are you gonna talk or just stand there!?" She screamed.

"What should I say?" I spat. "That your right? Well, guess what! I knew it all along!"

"Then do something, you idiot!" Emily screamed. I scoffed, and turned on my heel, walking away, but what she said next hurt me more than anything else, besides about Tiffany's death being my fault. "I think we need a new leader!"

"Really?! Fine! What the fuck ever! I don't fucking care! Have fun!" I screamed as I walked to my house.

"Wait! Riley!" Darren went after me, but I slammed the door in his face, too pissed to see anyone.

Who the fuck did that little bitch think she was!? Damn her! I'm so fucking done with this shit!

I snuck out, praying to God no one saw or noticed.

| Emily POV |

I watched Riley slam the door shut and sighed.

"Let's go, Em." Violet looked at me.

"Yeah. Let's go. Darren, I've been wanting to say all that shit for the longest time. It finally came out." I walked off.

"You weren't entirely Wrong." Violet sighed as we walked off.

"I was one hundred percent right." I scoffed. "He needed someone to tell him off. And it had to be me."

"Whatever, let's just forget about it." Violet shook her head.

| Riley POV |

I knelt by a stream and splashed the cold, refreshing water into my face. I punched the ground hard, in anger.

"Tough day?" A voice spoke behind me. "That Emily girl is feisty huh?"

I recognized the voice almost instantly. It couldn't be... Could it?

"De...?" I breathed as I turned around and saw the man standing behind me.

"In the flesh... Well in your mind." He grinned.

"In my... Mind?" I stared.

"Yes. Your going through something, so your mind made me come talk to you. What? Your not happy to see old De?" He frowned.

"No no No!" I was in shock. I was going crazy... I was actually going crazy! "What do you... Want?"

"To talk. Can we?" He wavered, and disappeared, appearing behind me. I swung and stared.

"Of course." I nodded.

"Good. Listen. I don't blame you for anything that's happened. It was all my choice. Mine alone." He looked at me, blankly.

"What?" I stared, in awe.

"Your mom and sis don't blame you either. Your mom blames John, and your sis is too sweet to blame anyone." He grinned. "Tiff only blames Emily."

"How the Hell could you know?" I stared in anger.

"Asked them?" De shrugged.

"But De all that Emily said is true... If I was smart and saw through John's masquerade, my mom and Krystal would still be alive and kickin'." I teared up. "If I had taken Tiff with us she would still be kicking..."

"Trust me, Riley. She was in the wrong. I liked her and all. She was a tough, and at times a sweet girl. But she was wrong. We all make mistakes. Don't you dare let it get you down, brother." He stood centimeters from me.

"But..." I stuttered.

"Don't say but. I know I'm right. I always was right. Up until my dying breath. Never once did I believe I was wrong. Look where it got me? I made some terrific friends in you guys, took down a complete asshole, and died a hero." De grinned proudly. "I'm proud of myself."

"De..." I breathed, my throat felt like it was closing, I felt like crying. But I couldn't in front of De. Even if he wasn't really there and only in my mind.

"Don't you dare do that!" He suddenly glared at me.

"What?" I stared, eyes wide.

"I'm in your mind. I can read your mind. Your thinking of splitting! Leaving the group! Your better than that. In all the time I knew you, you never ever gave up." De spat. "The group needs you, Riley! Your a beacon! If I could I would smack you so hard right now, for even thinking of leaving!"

"But you can't... I'll leave if I want to!" I grinned suddenly.

"Shut up. Don't you dare leave, okay? Leaving just proves that Emily and John were both right!" De glared. "Goodbye now, by the way, turn around."

He wavered and disappeared. I turned and saw Fate standing behind me, wide eyed.

"Are you okay?" She breathed. "Who were you talking to..."

"No one. Myself." I looked down. Strange how a figment in my imagination was smarter than me.

"Trust me I wanted to beat in Emily's face for what she said to you. It was way out of line." Fate frowned.

"No. She was right. I need to start listening to other people. Stop acting on guts." I smiled weakly. "How'd you find me?"

"I saw you leave... I followed you..." She suddenly glared. "You were thinking of splitting on us! I saw the whole thing. Everything you said! Don't leave just cuz of one little bitch!"

"I know that now, Fate. Let's just go back. Okay?" I looked at her, and she kept glaring for a few moments then sighed and nodded.

"Yeah. Let's go back." I sighed and walked past her without looking at her. She sighed and followed me.

What Emily said. It cut me to them core. I know. I need to be strong. De was right. Damn him. I won't doubt myself no more.


	31. Season 7 chap 2: Tricked

| ?'s POV |

"Blake, we can't go on! We need to find some place to settle down!" I looked desperately at my big brother.

We were in the middle of a forest. Blake was kneeling down, rubbing his head in anger. We just had a close call. Almost lost a member of our group of three. Blake was cool, sometimes his anger got the best of him. But he always has the best intentions obviously.

It was me, Sky. My brother, Blake. And our friend we met not long ago Carina.

"Shut up, Sky! I'm trying to think!" Blake suddenly yelled at me.

God I hate when he gets like this! He's scared but he channels that into anger to hide it! Damn it!

"Blake. Man up and take charge. Your little sisters life could be at risk!" Carina spat at Blake.

"Carina... Please. Shut up!" Blake yelled at her but stopped as he heard moans and turned seeing undead coming at us.

"Shit!" Carina spat, as she backed away, drawing her blade. Blake gripped his metal baseball bat and groaned. I reached into a back holster and unsheathed a shiny black katana, as I grinned.

"Ready to slice and dice?" I grinned.

"Stay in formation." Blake spat.

"Great." I sighed.

:: ::

As I chopped the last ones skull off, I breathed heavy.

"They done?" Blake breathed hard.

"No duh." Carina sighed.

"Nice..." Blake sighed and fell to one knee.

"You okay?" I knelt beside my brother and he nodded.

"Remember I twisted my ankle a mile back?" Blake grinned weakly.

"Let's get going. There ought to be more where those came from." Carina helped Blake to his feet.

"Yeah..." Blake sighed as we continued on.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

Damn it! Lyon and the others still didn't return! Where the hell could they be! You know what? They have two hours left. After that, I'm sending a god damn search party. For all I know, Fox, Lyon, and Matt could be dead!

I looked up from where I was reloading my pistol, when I heard footsteps. Dylan approached me.

"Me, Emily, and Darren are going to look for Lyon's crew. They want you to come." Dylan sighed, then added. "Well, me and Darren do."

"Okay. I want them safe. Lyon saved my ass with Nova, and when we got lost. I owe him my life." I followed Dylan out.

:: ::

| Blake POV |

As I knelt by a river with Sky and Carina to drink, and wash our face and hand I heard steps behind me. I turned, gun cocked. I saw a girl standing behind me with wide eye.

"I won't hurt you. Unless you strike first." She had a cocky tone.

"Who are you?" Carina stood. The girl hesitated.

"Nowi." She spoke.

"What do you want?" I spat.

"Help. I hate the word. But I honest to God need it." Nowi sighed. "I'm being hunted down by some assholes who killed and murdered my group in cold blood. No rhyme or reason."

I could tell by the look on Sky's face, she didn't buy shit. Neither did I. Or Carina.

"You need us to stop them?" I tilted my head.

"Yes. I know the leader. A sociopath named Riley, he lead the onslaught." Nowi scoffed.

"Sounds like a real asshole." Carina scoffed.

"That he is. I spotted him and three of his buds in this very forest. Names Emily, Darren, and Dylan." Nowi nodded.

"Let's help this chick." I looked at my sister and my friend.

"Fine. We got nothing better to do." Carina rolled her eyes.

"Blake, let's talk..." Sky grabbed me by my arm and yanked me away, turning her voice to a whisper. "I do not trust this chick. Theres something seriously off with her."

"I know. But if we take over this guy, Riley's camp, we'd be set!" I smiled at her. "You trust me right?"

"More than anything..." Sky looked at me,

"Then trust this. We are helping her." I walked off.

"I'm holed up in a house in the town not too far from here. Come along, kiddies." Nowi grinned and walked off.

"Keep your guns drawn, and your safety off." I whispered.

Nowi lead us to a house.

"Get comfy kiddies. Their gonna be passing through this town, checking each house. They come here, let me do the talking."

"Okay." I nodded.

Just then, Carina motioned us over to look out a window, and we saw four people - a man about 26, a hunter knife drawn, a boy about 21 a gun drawn, a girl about 20, a small pocket knife drawn, and a man about 22, a crowbar drawn.

"That boy with the gun. He's Riley." Nowi grinned.

"You two ready?" I looked at my sis and Carina.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Sky sighed.

* * *

**AN: sorry if this chapters sucks :( I had another plan for this season, that kinda fell through... That was a REALLY FUCKING GOOD PLAN. But. Guess what? I'll do that next season ;) so this one won't be as sad as you'd think. Next season will be the emotional one. By the way! Before i forget! Thanks to Mimirooz13 for Carina! And to my buddy DeadGirl991214 for Sky!**


	32. Season 7 chap 3: Savior

| Blake POV |

I watched the four people, cautiously. Being sure not to be seen.

"I haven't caught your names." Nowi looked at us, tilting her head slightly.

"Blake. That's Sky and Carina." I answered.

"Good, good. Here they come. I'll hide in the closet, if they spot me, I'm as good as dead." Nowi nodded and ducked into a closet.

The door was kicked open then...

:: ::

| Riley POV |

"Oh... People are in here?" Dylan tilted his head.

"Yeah... You can come in if you want." Blake smiled warmly.

"How do we know if your friend or foe?" Emily scoffed.

"You don't. But we are friends." Carina smiled.

"Let's go." I entered, but kept my hand on my gun.

"Whatever." Emily rolled her eyes.

As soon as we entered the closet door opened and out stepped an old foe. Nowi.

"Long time no see, Riley." Nowi smiled warmly at us.

"Shit..." Darren mumbled.

"What? Not happy to see me?" Nowi frowned.

"You are helping her!?" I turned to the three people who let us in.

"Your a murderer, no?" Blake smiled.

"N-" I was cut off by Nowi.

"Blake take Dylan to another room. Sky take Emily. Carina take Darren." Nowi ordered. "Let me and Riley have a little chat."

Blake grabbed Dylan's arm and pulled him into Another room as he struggled to pull away. Sky did the same with Emily. And Carina did the same with Darren.

"Sit down. Get comfy." Nowi sat on a couch and leaned back, but kept her hand on a gun.

I reluctantly sat beside her, afraid of what might happen to my friends if I didn't.

She aimed her gun at me, and I aimed back.

"You killed my friends. Nova. Ring a bell?" Nowi spat.

"Your _friend _cut my friends finger off. Self defense. Ring a bell?" I grinned.

"I don't know anything about that." NowI shrugged. "This is where your story ends, and mine begins, Riley."

"We are too strong. Too many. You can't take us all. I triple dog dare you to try, Nowi." I spat.

"Oh? But you brought four of the toughest members of your group. Minus Lyon, of course." Nowi grinned. "Emily, Darren, and Dylan. You think you can beat me? Hah. My thrive for victory is much stronger than yours."

"You will die... I will kill you!"'I spat.

"C'mon... We are just buds having a nice chat. No?" Nowi grinned. "No need for harshness..."

"I don't care what you need, bitch!" I suddenly yelled at her.

"Your harshness... It's unnecessary." Nowi rolled her eyes. "Blake! Bring Dylan. He's the first to go."

Blake brought Dylan out by his arm.

"I won't let you hurt him, Nowi. I heard everything's that has been said." Blake spat. "You attacked them first."

"Kill Dylan. Now!" Nowi ordered.

"No." Blake stood his ground.

"You are useless!" Nowi screamed and pushed Blake away, put her gun to Dylan's head.

Hearing the scream, Sky, Carina, Darren, and Emily came out Of the rooms.

"Dylan!" Emily screamed then gasped, breathing slowing as Nowi pulled the trigger, a bullet getting lodged in Dylan's head, as he dropped.

"Dylan!" I gasped.

Dylan... He never hurt a soul! He was the nicest, sweetest person I knew! Ever! Damn it!

Emily knelt by Dylan, and cried. Hard.

"Riley! You caused another fucking death! I hope your fucking happy!" Emily screamed at me.

Blake suddenly tackled Nowi into a wall. He started beating the ever living crap out of the girl, while everyone except Emily watched in shock.

"Jesus..." Carina breathed.

"Tell me about it..."'Darren stared, wide eyed.

"Sky toss me your sword!" Blake ordered, as he pushed Nowi to the ground hard and kicked her in the gut as hard as he could.

Sky unsheathed her blade and tossed him it as he caught the hilt.

"Son of a bitch!" Blake screamed as he slammed the blade down hard, taking her head clean off.

"I'm so sorry this happened..." Sky looked at us sadly.

"You were tricked. Don't beat yourself up." I sighed.

"Emily... We gotta go..." Darren knelt by her.

"Leave me be... Please..." Emily pleaded, as she held Dylan's limp body.

"Darren, carry her." I ordered, as Darren picked the girl up as she struggled violently.

"Stop struggling!" Darren spat, as she slowly calmed down, and cried hard. "Thank you..."

"Blake, Sky, Carina correct?" I looked at them. "Blake practically saved our lives. Mostly. So you wanna join our camp. We have others."

"Blake?" Sky looked at her brother.

"Sure. Riley was it?" Blake extended his hand and I took it and gave him a firm handshake.

"Lead the way." Carina grinned.

"Follow us." Darren carried the crying Emily out the door and started walking away. Emily was screaming every curse word she could think of at me.

"First De, now fucking Dylan! It's your god damn fucking fault, Riley! You asshole!" She screamed.

"Don't listen To her. It's no ones fault. Except Nowi's." Blake put a hand on my shoulder.

"I know. But I can't help feeling deep guilt..." I sighed.

"Don't. I learned that in this world, you can't save everyone. You can try like Hell. But there'll still be casualties. Best thing you can do, is hope you can wait it out for as long as you can. And keep fighting." Blake smiled warmly at me.

"Dylan died, Blake." I looked at him.

"I know. But you couldn't stop her. None of us could." Blake sighed.

"There!" Darren pointed to the giant door guarded by Quinn and Violet.

"There? It's huge!" Sky broke off running, with the rest of us close behind.

"Who-" Violet began but when she noticed me, Emily, and Darren she stopped.

"Welcome back, guys!" Quinn smiled.

"Wheres Dylan?" Violet stared.

"Dead..." Darren sighed.

"What!?" Violet stared.

"Nowi. She captured us, and killed him..." I breathed.

"Nowi..." Quinn looked down. "Where is she?"

"Dead." Blake answered. "I killed her for it."

"Who are you three?" Violet tilted her head.

"Blake. Sky. and Carina." Darren answered. "They saved our asses. Their with us now."

"Nice to meet you." Violet nodded.

"Likewise." Carina smiled.

"Get situated. Darren carry Emily to her room, she needs rest. She's torn about Dylan." I ordered.

"Okay." Darren did as told as everyone except me and Violet entered.

"How you dealing with it? Dylan dying and all." Violet leaned against the wall.

"Emily blames me. Says I got him killed. Blake says she's wrong. That no one could of saved Dylan." I sighed.

"Go rest. You need it. Lyon and Fox and Matt still hadn't returned." Violet motioned to the door.

"Thanks, Violet." I nodded and walked in.

* * *

**AN: So this may seem like the end of season 7 but it ain't. I got one more chap for this planned. Just get the tissue boxes ready ;) you might need it!**


	33. Season 7 chap 4: Taken

| Riley POV |

Two days had passed since we let Blake's crew join us. They have thus far proven to be very useful. Their tough. Lyon still hadn't come back. Nor had Fox or Matt. Everyone in the group was starting to worry. Even the newbies Blake, Sky, and Carina. They didn't even know the people.

Search parties have been sent out. Three so far, each had come back empty handed. Me, Darren, Fate, and Violet had been with each party. Emily's still heartbroken and torn to Hell because of Dylan. She's a tough girl, she pulled through her own daddy being shot point blank, and De sacrificing himself to save our asses. She'll pull through this. I know.

I just can't tell them what they want to hear. I try like Hell. Lord knows I try. I tell them Lyon and the others are okay. They'll be back. But honestly I believe their as good as dead. Lyon was my friend. Fox and Matt too. Good soldiers too, tough. They went after that herd practically all by themselves to help us. Well besides Gareth - rest his soul.

I am laying in bed now, it's late at night. I'm tired, we had just returned from another search. If we can't find them, I hope we can at least find their bodies to have solace.

I just heard a loud noise outside. Probably the others getting ready for tomorrows search. There was a knock at my door. I said it was open, who could be there. Darren came in, out of breath and excited. He told me Lyon had returned.

I didn't believe him at first. Honestly I didn't. But I had no choice.

"Lead me to them." I stood and followed him out.

I stared in awe as we were lead to the front gate where an out of breath and exhausted Lyon waited, with an equally exhausted Matt and Fox. All seemed rather uninjured.

"Great to be back..." Matt grinned, as he chuckled.

"Yeah... Where the hell were you guys?" I stared.

"Hiding from the herd trying to lead it away." Fox answered.

"We heard about Dylan. We're sorry." Lyon sighed.

"Nowi did it..." I breathed.

"I know. Darren filled us in." Lyon looked past me at Blake who was standing against a wall, watching us with Sky. Carina was standing beside Darren, behind me. "You must be Blake. Thank you for saving our people."

"They let us in. It was worth it." Blake stared, expressionless.

"G-guys!?" Violet called from outside as her and Quinn ran in.

"What's up?" Blake walked up with Sky.

"The herd... It's here!" Quinn answered.

"What!?" Sky exclaimed.

"Get Emily, Becca, everyone. Wake them from their beds if their sleeping. We're defending this place." I ordered.

Darren, Violet, and Carina ran off to do as I said, returning with the others - Emily, Becca, and Fate.

"The herd. It's here?" Fate's eyes were wide. Fear was evident in them.

"Yes. We're fighting." Lyon nodded. When Fate noticed him, she ran and hugged him tightly.

"We thought you died!" She gasped.

"Almost did. You can let go now." Lyon slowly hugged back.

"Get all the guns you can. All the ammo you can. And get ready to fight." I ordered. "Now!"

Everyone went and got their weapons. I knelt by one of the houses as the gate was being scratched and almost taken down.

"Get ready..." I breathed, and as the gate crashed down, and they charged in, I screamed. "Now! Give it all you got!"

Everyone began opening fire on the Infected as they charged in. We were determined to win.

After almost ten minutes of relentless shooting, my gun clicked showing I was out of ammo. I reached into my pocket for more but realized that was all. Looking around I saw everyone else too was out.

"Shit!" I heard Darren spat.

"Riley! What do we do! We barely made a dent!" Fate looked at me, she was crouched beside me.

"Run for it. Go through them. Try not to get bit." I ordered as everyone stared at me in shock. "Now!"

I grabbed Fate's hand as we entered the herd, knives drawn. She swung her knife and got one in the eye socket as it almost bit her. Quinn was running right beside us. I was distracted trying to find a way out of the herd, I didn't notice an Infected lunging at my neck. Quinn tackled it to the ground before it got me, but he himself wasn't so lucky.

As he went to stab it, another Infected grabbed his leg and bit it as he screamed.

"Quinn!" I called, eyes tearing up.

"We gotta go, Riley!" Fate stared at me. I nodded and we kept running.

:: ::

| Darren POV |

I ran in the herd, with Carina. We had lost sight of Riley, Quinn, and Fate almost the moment we entered.

Damn it! I swung my knife killing one about to bite Carina.

"Darren..." The girl looked at me.

"What's up?" I looked down at her.

"What if the others are dead?" She breathed.

"Don't say that. Their not." I grit my teeth as I grabbed her hand and we kept running.

:: ::

| Lyon POV |

I held Fox's hand as we ran, with Matt. He swung his blade taking off one's head. We saw Darren and Carina run another way, but a bunch of the undead douche bags blocked our path so we couldn't catch up. Fuck!

"Lyon!" Matt called from behind us.

"What?!" I called back.

"We lured it here..." Matt breathed.

"No. We didn't. Shut up and keep running. I'm not losing you today." I answered.

"Damn it... Okay." He mumbled as we followed.

:: ::

| Violet POV |

I ran with Emily, Becca, Blake, and Sky. I ran out of arrows almost the moment we entered the herd. Shit! I was grabbed from behind by an Infected as I struggled. Emily grabbed it and stabbed it in the back of the head, as I nodded a thanks. I stared in shock, as Emily was suddenly tackled by four Infected from behind, as hey began feasting, and she screamed.

"Emily!" I screamed.

"Oh god..." Sky breathed.

"We gotta go!" Blake kept running with me and Sky. I looked at Becca, she hadn't moved since her daughter was brought down.

"Rebecca!" Sky called.

"I can't..." Rebecca breathed, as she let an Infected drag her down, and bite her.

"Shit!" I spat as we kept running.

"This is crap! You see Riley or the others!?" Blake called.

"No! Not since we entered! I saw Lyon, Fox, and Matt though!" I answered.

"I hope their all alive..." Sky breathed, tearing up.

"Me too..." Blake sighed, as we kept running.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

Me and Fate reached the forest, and decided to take a breather.

"You see Lyon or the others?" Fate looks at me, tears in her eyes.

"No... I didn't... I didn't see anyone... I'm sorry..." I sighed.

"Damn it!" She screamed.

"Keep your voice down, Fate!" I ordered. "You want to lure the rest to us and kill us?"

"Sorry! But I'm freakin' out!" Fate broke down, beginning to cry hard. "Quinn... He went down! Lyon and the others probably too! Are we the only survivors!?"

"Fate! It's okay..." I suddenly pulled her into a hug, as she hesitated before wrapping her arms around me and continuing to cry.

I pulled away as I heard moans and turned seeing 15 Infected had separated and was heading to us.

"We gotta go! Keep quiet!" I helped her to her feet as I ran away, holding her hand as we ran.

:: ::

| Darren POV |

I let go of Carina's hand as she looked at me.

"Darren..." Carina breathed.

"Don't. We are okay. We are alive. Emily, Riley, Blake, Sky. Their okay too! I promise!" I breathed heavy.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Darren." Carina dropped to her knees, out of breath. "You see Blake or Sky?"

"No. I lost them. I'm sorry." I sighed and sat down. "Let's take a quick breather."

"Damn it, Darren! We're alone! All alone!" Carina started tearing up as she punched the ground, and I just sighed angrily.

:: ::

| Lyon POV |

Fox leaned against a tree angrily, Matt sat against the other side and I was pacing.

"We gotta find them!" I spat.

"No. We can't. We gotta survive on our own." Fox sighed.

"Damn it!" I groaned. "Riley and the others are dead. Shit!"

"We gotta get going. The herd will be here soon." Matt stood and began walking off. Me and Fox followed

:: ::

| Violet POV |

I stared into a river bank, as Blake splashed his face. Sky sat and put her feet in the water.

"Emily... Died saving me... Rebecca... Their both dead..." I breathed.

"It's not your fault. It's not, Violet. it's no ones fault." Blake looked up at me.

"Don't beat yourself up. We gotta get going. Find the others, Carina, Riley, everyone." Sky stood and smiled weakly at me.

"Yeah, Sky. Let's go, Blake." I began walking off.

* * *

**AN: So everyone's separated! The groups - Riley/Fate, Darren/Carina, Lyon/Fox/Matt, Violet/Blake/Sky. R.I.P Emily, Quinn, Becca.**


	34. Season 8 chap 1: Guilty Pleasure

**AN: many of you may not like this chap, mostly because it derails majorely from the normal genre I write about (Action/Horror/Drama) and replaces action and horror for Romance. I wanted to try my hand at a new type of genre I never once wrote in before. I probably fucked it up, but whatever. Let's see if I did any good.**

* * *

| Riley POV |

I knelt behind a tree, my breathing slowed. Five Infected were slowly walking behind me. I tried to stay hidden, best I can do. We still had no bullets, only knives.

As they disappeared from view, without seeing me, thank God. I looked up at Fate, who was crouched on a tree branch, surveying the area, trying to find our friends.

"Any luck?" I called up, squinting my eyes in the setting sun.

"Nope. Damn it!" She spat.

"Come on down, Fate! It's gettin late, we better go back!" I looked up at her, and she sighed angrily, punching the tree with her hand that wasn't missing a finger.

"Alright, we'll pick up the search tomorrow I guess." She groaned and jumped down. I caught her before she hit the ground, and she blushed angrily.

"Put me down, idiot." Fate scoffed.

"I just saved you from a twisted ankle." I grinned as I gently set her down. "Least you could do is say thanks."

"Let's go." She crossed her arms and without another word, began walking off.

"Let's." I sighed.

:: ::

We walked to the house we were staying in, and I opened the door for her.

"I didn't need help." She scoffs, and looks away, but I still caught the tiniest glimpse of a blush.

"Just go in." I shifted from foot to foot.

"You okay? You seem a bit jumpy today." Fate looked at me and entered.

"Yeah. Just miss our buds." I sighed.

"Me too." she sighed as I closed the door behind us, and pressed a heavy table against it, in case an infected tries to break in while we sleep. "Been a week and a half. Maybe two. I lost count."

"Riley... We are never gonna find them are we? Ever..." Fate started tearing up suddenly as she spoke.

"Yes we will Fate... I guarantee it..." I pulled her into a hug suddenly.

"I hope your right..." She clenched me tightly.

After a minute of this, me holding her and her crying into my shirt she suddenly stopped. I looked at her and suddenly she leaned up and kissed me on the lips. I pulled away almost instantly.

"What..." She breathed.

"No. This is wrong, Fate." I pulled away from the hug and turned my back to her. "We can't fall in love. We can't"

She didn't speak for a few seconds and then...

"I knew it, Riley!" She suddenly screamed at me.

"What?" I looked at her.

"You hate me! I knew it all along! You can't stand being alone with me! You wish you were with someone - anyone else! Darren, Lyon, Blake - anyone!" She screamed every word in that sentence, she began pouting and I saw tears going down her cheeks again.

Without a word I pulled her into another, tighter hug. I held her as for the first few moments she tried to pull away but couldn't. She then stopped struggling as she wrapped her arms around me tightly.

"To be honest, Fate." I suddenly spoke. "I don't know _how_ I feel."

Suddenly she leaned up again and kissed me, this time making it so I can't pull away no matter how hard I try. And honestly, looking back on that - I don't know if I wanted to pull away. To be honest, I liked the kiss. It felt... Good. God, what the fuck is wrong with me!?

As she pulled away after a minute, she just looked at me.

"Do you know now?" She grinned.

I stared blankly, no thoughts going through my head. I didn't know what to think! I just did the first thing I could to show her I did know.

Suddenly, I pushed her back to the wall, pinning her as I leaned in, kissing her this time.

She didn't even try to pull away, just stood there, kissing me.

I suddenly began lifting her shirt.

:: ::

The next morning we were in the backyard of the house, sitting beside each other at a campfire, eating squirrel and rabbit.

She suddenly looked up and wiped a little bit of Rabbit blood off her chin, and grinned.

"Oh god, what's with that grin?" I looked at her and joked.

"How was it?" She looked at me, smiling, blushing hard.

I honestly did not know what to say. It felt like a mistake, but at the same time I liked it. It was a _guilty pleasure_, I guess you'd call it.

"Good. It was... Good." I smiled at her and without a word she nodded, and looked away, continuing to eat.

We sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity.

"You never told me... Why did you pull away the first time I kissed you?" She looked at me.

I didn't know what to say. How to answer. The full truth was, I missed Tiffany. It felt like I cheated on her. That's why I felt this immense guilt.

"A while before we met, I had a girlfriend Tiffany. She died in a herd." I decided to tell the truth. "Guess I would consider it cheating. Don't get me wrong, Fate. I loved the kiss. I did."

"I don't consider it cheating. She's dead, Riley... You have to be able to move on, if you wanna be happy..." Fate held my hand and I went to pull away but didn't - couldn't.

"You sound just like Darren." I sighed and chuckled.

"What?" She Looked at me.

:: ::

Flashback - between season 6 and season 7

I sat at my table in my house, and looked down at my hands. They were shaking. I felt cold from the inside out. Tears splashed on the hardwood table, and I sobbed silently. This is the first time, in a long time I let my emotions out. The sadness I was feeling.

Darren suddenly walked in.

"Hey, you... Riley, your crying..." He sat down across from me, and I didn't look at him nor talk. "Talk to me, man..."

I still didn't look nor talk.

"It's about Tiff, isn't it." He sighed When I nodded weakly. "You can't keep being so gloomy about this shit, Riley. You need to put yourself out there again."

"I-I Can't forget her..." I stuttered.

"I'm not saying forget her. I'm saying, she'd want you to move on. Not sit here moping about her." Darren sighed. "Like that Fate girl - you two have been getting close ever since you saved her from Nova,huh?"

"Yeah, I guess..." I looked out the window weakly where I saw her leaning on a wall talking with Emily and Violet. Fate waved slowly when she noticed me looking at her. Worry was evident in her eyes, she saw the beet red in my eyes from crying. I slowly stopped crying.

"You're like a son to me, Riley. You are." Darren smiled at me, warmly.

"You never had a son right?" I looked at him.

"I did. One. Me and my wife got married when we were nineteen. I'm thirty-one as of now... So 12 years I believe. He'd be 11 now." Darren sighed at the memory. "We got divorced a year before this shit. I caught her cheating on me on five different occasions, she swore until the day the divorce was finalized that she never cheated."

"Oh... I'm sorry..." I looked at him sadly.

"She won custody of Billy - our son. And they moved to Florida." Darren sighed. "Their both probably dead now. Whatever."

"I'm sorry to hear that..." I sighed.

"No. It's okay." He smiled.

"You're like a father to me, too Darren." I sighed and smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that, come on. Lets go on a run to clear our heads." Darren walked out without another word.

:: ::

Present times - Fate still listening to his story.

"... Then we left for the run." I concluded.

"Oh... Yeah, Darren is like a father figure to us I guess." Fate smiled weakly and put her arm around me. "It's understandable if you feel guilt, Riley. You can't let it hold you back. Right?"

"Yeah..." I kissed her cheek and stood. "Go back to the house. I'm going to get some water from the woods. Meet you there later." I stomped out the last of the embers of the fire.

"Okay. Be careful." She smiled, and went back to the house.

"I always am." I walked off.

:: ::

I knelt by the river with a bucket and filled it to the brim. My mind was racing, I felt weak, like this was not real.

I had... actually fallen for the girl I once hated. Damn... It's like something out of a sappy romance novel.

I turned and sighed seeing an Infected. I stabbed my knife in its head as it fell and I began walking back with the bucket of water.


	35. Season 8 chap 2: Weight

| Darren POV |

Two weeks have passed. Me and Carina have been on the road ever since that day. We have been too scared to stay in one place too long. Can't wait for shit to go rotten.

I crouched behind a wall as two Infected snuck up on me. Where the hell was Carina!? When the Infected came she bolted! As they reached for me suddenly a blade came out from behind them and took off both their heads. Carina nodded to me.

"Thanks. Guess I was a distraction, huh?" I grinned. She didn't reply and just walked off. I followed.

After a minute or so of walking, she stopped and turned to me.

"Why do you insist on chasing down your buds?" She looked at me. "It's useless. Their dead. We are all alone."

"Guess I'm a hopeful fool, Carina. I believe their alive. And I'll die trying to find them. Their my family, yours too now." I looked her dead in the eyes. She took a few moments to reply.

"Your such an idiot." She mumbled. I shrugged and walked off, what she screamed after me, made me stop. "Why are you so suicidal!?"

"Their my family. And family dies for each other." I didn't turn.

"Their not your blood!" She called again.

"When I met Riley and the others I was a nobody!" I suddenly lost my cool for one of the first times ever, I got pissed to hell and back. "A hopeful trying to make it in this god damn fucking shit of a world! They took me in! Taught me what family is really about! Being there for each other! Even when you don't see eye to eye! Even when you're at each others throats! Riley is a son to me. I told him that myself. I have to save him! And everyone! It's the _weight_ I carry, Carina! Riley, Violet, Dylan, Emily - the whole lot of the,! They never gave up on me, so I sure as hell won't give up on them! and i swear to god their looking for me. So I will keep looking for them."

"I'm sorry Darren... I...I didn't know..." Carina frowned.

"It's okay... I told you just so you'd know. Your family is out there too, Carina. Blake and Sky." I looked at her.

"Blake and Sky... Yeah they are my family I guess..." Carina looked down. "You sure their okay?"

"I'm almost certain." I smiled And began walking off. "Before I met them, I never really had a family - or a home. Not really. Not honestly. So don't you see why I have to do this, Carina?"

"I do." She followed.

:: ::

I knelt down a few hours later by a bear trap we set up the previous day. A bear was caught in it. I looked at Carina, who gulped and closed her eyes. She swung her blade and killed the creature in one swing.

I undid the trap and dragged the body back to our camp, setting it near a fire we started.

"Got us a good catch huh?" I grinned.

"Yeah. We did. I'm never gonna get used to having to kill our own food." Carina sighed and shivered, Fall was just turning into Winter, and it was cold out.

I took my sweat jacket off and handed her it.

"Here. As sorry for flipping at you before." I nodded and she mumbled a thanks as she put it on. "I'm gonna go out for a bit, kay? To clear my head. Keep your eyes and ears open. You see another human other than me, kill them, don't take chances. Same if you see an animal or an Infected."

"Okay..." She mumbled as I walked off.

:: ::

I crouched behind a bush and rubbed my long hair back. I looked out and saw the deer I was stalking. I aimed my pistol at its brain. I haD one shot - found the bullet in the pocket of a dead one a few days back.

Suddenly Carina'a scream echoed. She was calling my name! I saw the deer bolt. To hell with that deer!

I ran back to our camp and saw her, pinned to a tree by a man. He was pinning her arms so she couldn't struggle, and had his legs pressed against hers, so she couldn't kick him in the nuts. Her eyes widened when she saw me. She mouthed: _help me!_

"No one can you help you, pretty girl..." He whispered in her ear.

"Bite me." She spat, and spit in his face.

"Oh, I'm gonna do more than that." He hissed. "A lot more."

I came up behind him, swung the butt of my gun against the back of his head. He groaned loudly in pain as he dropped to a knee. He turned to me and glared.

"What are you doing here, old man!?" He spat at me. He pulled out a knife and swung at me, but last moment Carina grabbed her sword and stabbed him clean through the back. She then spun and took his head clean off.

"What the hell happened?" My eyes widened.

"He tried to rape me, what the hell do you think happened!?" She fell to one knee, tearing up.

"Let's get going. It's not safe here anymore." I helped her up and walked to where the bear lay, and started dragging it away as she followed.

That was a close call. I need to be more careful. I won't leave her alone anymore. Not anymore. I can't lose the last family I have left.


	36. Season 8 chap 3: Abuse

| Blake POV |

I was pinned to a tree by three Infected yapping at me, trying with all their might to bite or scratch me. Damn it! My knife was in it's holster, my gun too. I couldn't reach for them without the risk of letting one of them bite or scratch me. Suddenly an arrow pierced one of their's skull as it toppled and I pushed it down. Next, a blade swung taking off another one of their heads. I now had a chance to get my knife. I pulled it out of the holster and swung it with all my might into the last one's eye socket. I nodded a thanks to Sky and Violet. Violet simply nodded.

"No problem, brother!" Sky smiled big.

"Sky, can you go out hunting, while me and Violet over here go get water?" I looked at my sister.

"Fine..." She mumbled as she turned on her heel and walked off.

"Come with me, Violet. I need someone to watch my back while I get the water. Can you manage?" I walked off.

"Course I can." Violet smiled.

"Good. C'mon." I motioned for her to follow and she obliged.

:: ::

I knelt by the stream and put the bucket in, while Violet stood there, an arrow straining to her bow.

"I never asked you..." Violet started.

"What's up?" I looked up at her.

"Where were you and your sis before the shit flew?" She looked down at me.

I looked down at the ground and didn't speak for a few moments. Maybe a minute or so. I forget.

"Oh! Was it bad to ask that?! I'm sorry, Blake!" Violet looked at me, wide eyed.

"No. It's fine... It's just..." I looked at her, and broke off.

"What?" She looked worry.

"When we were young, our mom disappeared. Without a trace - poof. One moment here, the next gone. We had no idea what the hell happened." I began. "We lived with our Step dad. He abused us daily - beat us black and blue. We defended ourselves sometimes. But it wasn't enough, Violet. I woulda killed the douche bag years ago if I wouldn't of been arrested. I was afraid - deathly so of leaving Sky alone in the world. She's all I got Violet."

"Where's he now?" Violet stared at me.

"I killed him. Beat him to death." I smiled big.

"Damn..." Violet breathed.

"Had to be done. He beat me and my sister for years. Even raped Sky once when i wasn't around to stop him." I looked down.

"Oh my god..." Violet stared.

"She gave him a deadly right hook after." I chuckled. "Gave him a black eye."

"Sky is a tough girl." Violet smiled.

"That she is." I sighed and stood as Sky ran up, holding a few squirrels and rabbits.

"Way to go, Sky!" Violet smiled.

"Thanks!" Sky grinned.

"Violet finish getting the water. I'll start the fire." I nodded and walked off.

"Sure, whatever..." Violet knelt by the water and stuck her hand in, to wash her hands.

I sighed and started the fire, as Sky sat across from me, passing me a squirrel while Violet walked over with the bucket filled.

"Bon apetit." I sighed.

"As good as it'll get." Violet took a bite of the rabbit she was holding.

"Yeah..." I sighed.

"I wonder how the others are doing... Carina, Riley, Darren..." Sky looked down.

"Dead. Probably..." Violet mumbled.

"No. Their alive. I promise." I smiled slightly.

"I hope..." Sky sighed and took a bite of her squirrel.

"Don't make promises you can't keep Blake." Violet looked at me.

"I don't." I looked back and she just shrugged.

"Let's rest... We gotta look for the others again tomorrow." Sky layed back as she finished her squirrel and fell asleep.

"I'll take watch." Violet stood and grabbed her bow.

"Okay." I laid back and slept.

* * *

**AN: Next time is gonna be good ;)**


	37. Season 8 chap 4: Family

| Lyon POV |

I knelt down beside a freshly dead Infected. I looked at him, sadly. He had a life before this. He didn't ask for this. None of us did! What the Hell could have made this possible? Huh... He attacked us, nearly got Fox so I put him down. After almost two years of this bullshit, it still feels like instead of killing undead, we are killing the living.

When will any of us ever get used to it? Oh yeah, I never told you. Where was I before meeting Riley and the others? Funny story actually. It was me, Fox, Fate and a few other people. My dad included. He was our leader. One day he flew off the handle. Lost control.

He attacked us, all of us. Only me, Fox, and Fate escaped alive. He escaped into the night. I haven't seen him since. If I did see him, I'd like to believe I'd kill him on the spot. Fox said I would be able to, that I'm strong. Fate agreed with her, but I don't see how I would be able to. He's my father! His name was Loke, by the way.

Darren told me stories of the guy you may know as John. How Riley strangled him to death to protect his people. How John killed Riley's mom and sister.

I don't see how Riley could work up the nerve. According to Darren, John was Riley's best friend. It must have destroyed Riley to do that.

Back to the topic at hand, we haven't seen hide nor tail of any of the others. Riley, Fate, Darren, Violet... All of them. We just gotta hope and pray that their okay.

Matt is asleep under the trees. It's been a hard day. I told Fox to sleep, but she insisted on staying up with me.

"I'm going to bed, Fox. Night." I finally took my eyes off the poor soul, and stood.

"Good night, Lyon..." She looked at me, worried.

"I'm fine... Don't worry 'bout me, Fox." I smiled, and gently kissed her as I sat against a tree, and fell asleep.

:: ::

| Fox POV |

I held my handgun as I looked out at the horizon, after seeing Lyon fall asleep. I sighed as I looked down. I was tough - one of the toughest people in the group. According to Lyon and Riley. But even I had to admit, it's tough. This world. It breaks you down - makes it so you don't have a leg to stand on. You do things you would of never done before.

Killing humans. Stealing, anything else you could think of. I can barely handle this shit...

I looked down at my gun, contemplating ending myself. When I heard feet behind me.

"Oh, Fox... Don't end it already. That's no fun for me." A voice spoke. I turned and saw a man standing there.

"Loke..." I breathed.

"What? Not happy to see the father of your boyfriend?" Loke grinned.

"Lyon! Matt! Wake up!" I called. Lyon jolted awake, so did Matt.

"Father?!" Lyon stared.

:: ::

| Lyon POV |

My dad... was right here. In front of me. He killed those people. Yet, I couldn't see myself killing him. To be honest.

"Hey, son." Loke smiled. "Thought you saw the last of me?"

"Lyon, should I kill him?" Matt looked at me.

"Wait, Matt..." I motioned for him to not move.

"Lyon... I'm sorry... I can't let you kill your own dad..." Fox started to suddenly tear up as she ran at the man and went to tackle him, knife drawn.

Loke suddenly grabbed her arm, twisting her arm behind back and throwing her to the ground hard.

"Whose next? How about you, kid?" He pointed to Matt.

"Don't." I looked at Matt. But he was already running, blade drawn. "Matt!"

Loke ducked under a swing from his blade and grabbed Matt's arm throwing him against a tree, taking the blade away and throwing it down as he threw Matt down hard beside Fox.

"Now. Lyon, son... Your up?" Loke grinned.

"What do you want...?" I stared.

"A talk. Do I gotta take you down, like your girlfriend and buddy?" Loke smiled.

"Okay. We'll talk. Talk!" I ordered.

"I've been watching you all. Since before you met... What's his face. Riley, I think?" Loke grinned. I gasped.

"Where is he?" I breathed.

"I lead the herd after you all. To destroy your camp, it wasn't your fault. It was mine, kid. To separate you all. I followed Riley very closely." Loke grinned. "He's been boning your buddy Fate lately. Mmmhmmm..."

"Where is Riley and Fate!?" I ordered.

"I will tell you, son. On one condition." Loke walked closer to me. Matt and Fox were struggling to stand. Both had badly hurt their legs from the impact.

"That is?" I didn't budge.

"You come with me, to meet them. You and your girlfriend. Matt too if he must come. And you help me." Loke smiled.

"With?" I gulped.

"Bringing Fate back with me. Leaving Matt with Riley. We are the four sole survivors of our camp. We must stick together, no?" Loke smiled. "Fate trusts you, Riley too. They'll listen to reason. So you in?"

"If not, what happens?" I clenched my fists.

"You all die. You, Fox, Matt, Riley, and Fate." Loke smiled. "And all the others. Darren, Carina, Blake, Sky, Violet... Once I find them that is."

"Okay... I'll help." I knelt by Fox and Matt, helping them up.

"You're seriously helping this douche?" Matt hissed.

"Yes. I'm sorry..." I mumbled.

"Lyon has no choice, Matt." Fox sighed.

"You always have a choice." Matt mumbled.

"Not with this." I sighed.

"Lead the way, Father." I spoke through clenched teeth.

"Glad you see it my way. Follow." Loke smiled and turned, walking off. We followed hesitantly.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I sat in the living room of the house me and Fate were staying in, as I had my arm around her shoulders and she slept peacefully. I looked at the roof and sighed. I'm happy. Being here with Fate, I'm happy. But I can't shake this sense of foreboding. Like something's about to happen... I heard footsteps on the hardwood floor of the pateo.

"Shit..." I mumbled and shook Fate.

"W...What?" She looked at me, tilting her head. Damn she was cute... "What's up, Riley?"

"I hear footsteps outside." I whispered.

"It's probably an Infected. Don't be so paranoid..." Fate smiled at me.

"I'm sorry..." I mumbled.

Just then there was a knock at the door, causing both me and Fate to jump to our feet.

"Infected don't knock..." She mumbled.

"Shit..." I mumbled. "Maybe it's one of the others. Darren, Lyon, or Blake?"

Suddenly the door was kicked down and Lyon walked in with Fox, Matt, and a man I didn't know. Seeing the look of disgust on Fate's face I could tell she knew him.

"Lyon! Fox, Matt!" I called, eyes wide.

"Riley. If you know what's good for you and your girlfriend, you will hand her over." The man spoke, smiling.

"Who the hell are you?" I spat.

"Loke. Lyon's dad." Fate mumbled.

"Riley, do what he says." Lyon looked at me, sadly. "Please..."

"Are you crazy?! He's not laying a hand on her!" I hissed.

"If you don't. She'll die. You too. Lyon and these two as well." Loke grinned. "And all the others, once I find them. Besides Emily and Becca. Their already dead - in the herd they died. I watched. I lead the herd."

"Emily... Becca..." I breathed, getting sad. I pulled out my knife. "You son of a bitch!"

"Now, Now... You try anything. I will kill you and the girl. So be a good little boy, and hand her over." Loke smiled.

"Don't do it, Riley! Please!" Fate pleaded with me.

What the hell do i do?! What would you do?

"Lyon... How could you be helping him... You were my friend!" I called.

"I have to." Lyon mumbled. "You don't understand. He's capable of killing us. I don't wanna take any chances."

"You fucking traitor!" I screamed at him.

"I'm doing this for the good of all of us. And if you can't see that. You're a fool." Lyon spat.

"No. You're doing this for the good of you!" I grit my teeth angrily.

"So what'll it be, son." Loke grinned evilly.

I looked between him and Fate. Fate kept mouthing: _Don't do it... Please..._

"Fate..." I mumbled.

"Riley?" She looked at me.

"I'm sorry..." I mumbled as I kissed her lips deeply and passionately for almost a minute before pulling away. "Go with him. I love you..."

"If you loved me, you wouldn't be doing this!" Fate screamed at me, betrayal evident in her face.

"I'm doing this _because_ I love you." I mumbled, looking down. "Go..."

"Wise choice, Riley." Loke looked at Fate. "The man's made his choice, girl. Come on. Matt you stay here with your broken friend."

"Fate... We will be together again. Soon." I looked at her, as she went to go to Loke.

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you, kid." Loke smiled. "You're never seeing her again."

"Go to Hell, Riley..." Fate mumbled as she started leaving with Lyon, Fox, and Loke. I saw her tearing up, as tears splashed the ground.

"I love you, Fate!" I said one last thing.

"I hate you! Go to Hell!" She screamed.

"Hey, you okay?" Matt looked at me, once they were gone.

"I will be. Once I get her back and end Loke." I grit my teeth.

"I'll help." Matt grinned weakly.

"We'll need more. We need to find Darren and the others. Before we can take on Loke." I nodded.

"Let's get on it." Matt smiled.

"Let's." I walked to the back door.

* * *

**AN: Season 8 done!**


	38. Season 9 chap 1: Defiance

| Fate POV |

How the fuck could Riley do this!? Hand me to a god damn monster! A mad man! I loved him - trusted the asshole! Damn it! I loved him... I shoulda known he never loved me. He's a bastard and a liar. He just let Loke take me. If he loved me, he woulda fought for me to stay with him. But no! Bullshit!

"I can't stand it..." I mumbled, fists clenched. "He handed me to a god damn beast..."

We were by a stream, in the middle of a forest.

"I resent that." Loke scoffed.

"Get bent." I scoffed.

"I will bend you over a table." Loke glared at me.

"I'll kill you. Gut you like a fish." I spoke through grit teeth.

"No, darling. I can tell you only wanna gut your ex-boyfriend." Loke grinned.

"No. She still loves Riley. I can tell." Lyon sighed.

"What?" I glared at him.

"You just feel betrayed. It's natural." Fox spoke up.

"Screw off." I scoffed.

"Come, come. Play nice kiddies." Loke grinned.

"Eat me." I scoffed.

"You don't want that. When I bite, I leave a mark." Loke spat. "Don't mess with fire, girl. You will get burned."

"If Riley didn't do what Loke said, Fate. You'd be dead now." Lyon looked at me.

"And Riley would be dead too. Lyon and me too." Fox looked at me, and I scoffed angrily.

"And all of your other friends." Loke smirked.

"Shut it, old man." I spat.

"Why the hell are you doing this, Father?" Lyon hissed.

"To rid this world of weak humans, son. Why else? The strong of humanity, shall rise again. And in the new world, I'll be the ruler." Loke grinned. "And by those terms, Riley is the weakest. Riley is the weakest - He calls himself a leader, yet how many did he get killed?"

"Don't you dare touch Riley! I'll kill you if you try!" I shrieked at him.

"What's done is done. He's made a very powerful enemy. Its his choice girl, he makes a move to get you back. He and everyone with him dies on the spot. And as a special treat, you'll be the one to kill him, Fate." Loke grinned. "Knowing him, he knows he can't take all four of us with just him and Matt. He's gonna try to find Darren and the others."

"I won't hurt him!" I glared.

"Oh, but you don't have a choice. Right? See, you can make it quick. Painless. But I can make it brutal. He'll be begging for me to end it. I'll make the last few minutes of his life a miserable, living Hell." Loke smirked. "So, what'll it be. A quick painless death. Or a slow, ever lasting torment. Your choice."

"Damn it... Fine!" I spat.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

It has been two days, we've no signs of Darren or any of the others. We were losing hope that they were even alive.

"I'll go check that way. Let's split up." Matt ran off.

"Yeah... See ya, buddy." I sighed.

:: ::

| Matt POV |

Maybe if I try to call for them, they'll come. Maybe...

"Darren! Blake! Violet!" I began calling as loud as I could.

I heard running footsteps and turned, blade drawn.

"We heard the calls." A man breathed. "Matt!"

"Darren..." I smiled.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I was walking in the forest when I heard a twig snap behind me. I went to grab my gun but a sword was put to my neck, as I went stiff.

"You friend or foe?" A voice spat.

"Friend... I'm a friend!" My eyes were wide.

"We can't be sure."'the voice sighed. I recognized the voice... But I couldn't remember where...

"We?" I asked.

"Sky! What the hell are you doing!?" A mans voice was heard.

"I'm sorry, Blake!" Sky pulled the blade away and I turned seeing Blake, Violet, and sky.

"Riley!" Violet hugged me.

"Oh my god... I'm sorry I didn't recognize you from behind Riley!" Sky bowed.

"It's fine. You can't be too safe these days." I sighed. "I was with Matt. He went to find you guys. We got separated."

"Let's go find him." Blake smiled.

"Let's." I walked off with them following.

:: ::

I saw Matt leaning on a tree. Talking with... Darren and Carina!?

"Carina!" Blake ran and hugged her.

"Riley..." Darren stared at me.

"Darren..." I stared back.

"So now all we are missing are Lyon, Fox, and Fate?" Blake nodded.

"About that..." I sighed. "I left with Fate. We stuck together for a while. Matt was with Lyon and Fox. Lyons Father came. Convinced Lyon and Fox to help him, or we'd all die. Convinced me to hand over Fate or we'd all die."

"You obeyed?" Violet stared at me.

"I had to! I couldn't have her blood on my hands!" I looked at Violet.

"Their blood could be on your hands right now, though. He could of killed them already." Carina sighed.

"He won't. He needs them." Matt crossed his arms.

"What?" Blake looked at him.

"He's right. Loke is smart. He knew all of us by name. Even you guys -'Blake, Sky, Carina."'I sighed.

"How is that possible?" Sky breathed.

"He musta been stalking us for a while. Said he lead the herd that killed Emily, Quinn, and Rebecca." I sighed.

"He's smart. He knew our weaknesses." Matt began.

"Knew mine was my love for Fate. To weaken me, he took her away." I finished for Matt.

"Just like John did with Tiffany, and your mom and sis..." Darren breathed.

"Yes. He's the strongest and smartest villain we ever fought. Plus he has three of our strongest members." I shook my head.

"We also don't have the foggiest idea where the hell he is." Matt sighed.

"He's also playing with Lyons weakness. Which is, he doesn't want his friends hurt, or worst." I sighed. "I pray to God, Fate'a big mouth doesn't land her in deep trouble."

"You know all about her big mouth, huh?" Darren grinned. It took me a moment to realize what he meant.

"Wha- oh shut the hell up!" I glared. Everyone chuckled halfheartedly.

"Okay." Matt spoke when he regained his composure.

"The plan?" Sky looked at me.

"Same plan, find the son of a bitch, convince Lyon and the others to come back and kill Loke." I nodded.

"How the Hell do we find him?" Matt walked to me. "Way I see it, we are up shits creek without a paddle or a boat."

I just looked at him, and sighed.

"He's right, Riley." Violet crossed her arms.

"I say we forget them, move to the coast, will be safer. We got the water behind us, and we can just watch for Infected in front." Blake slightly smiled.

"No way. That's out of the question!" Darren spat.

"Darren is right, brother." Sky looked at Blake.

"Then what the Hell else do you think might work!?" Blake glared at all of us.

"You need to calm down. Your not helping anything, Blake." I looked Blake in the eyes.

"You're not helping anything, leader." Blake spat the final word. "We are not helping shit! Why don't we fucking live, and abandon them!"

"Would they abandon us, Blake?" Matt looked at him.

"They already did, Matt." Blake looked at him. "Lyon has made his choice!"

"Fate looked at me for help! I betrayed her trust! I must save her! It's my god damn duty!" I screamed at Blake.

"Then do something. Find this S.O.B and ice him!" Blake commanded. "Riley it's useless to save another, when you know deep down you can't. You can't! Fate, Lyon, and Fox are gone! Your family is right here! You need to help protect us! Not a lost cause!"

"Is that what they are to you, man? Huh? A lost cause? Gone with the wind? That type!?" I clenched my fists.

"Pretty much." Blake scoffed. "Dude, my family is right here. I got my priorities straight, do you? I'll die to protect my own - my sister! You may have failed to protect your little sister, but I won't fail to protect mine!"

I blinked at that, eyes widening.

"You don't think I have enough guilt on my plate, without you piling on!?" I screamed at him. "I failed to protect Krystal, I know. God, I know. He got the best of me. I was weak, I'm strong now, you ass!"

"Strong words coming from our fearless leader." Blake grinned. "You think your tough? Prove it! Hunt down and kill that asshole! He stole your girlfriend! Your friends! Now grow a pair of balls and do it!"

"I'm trying!" I grit my teeth.

"I knew it. Your weak! Try harder! If you loved her, you'd do all it takes! You don't love her!" Blake scoffed. "If you loved Fate, you'd be out there right now hunting for her! Not here talking up some daydream plan! So do it."

I looked at everyone as they stared at me, waiting for a reply.

"You know he's right." Violet spoke after a minute.

"He is." I spat. "He's also an asshole."

"I admit it, I'm a major jackass. Least I have the balls to admit my short comings." Blake smirked. "You gonna admit yours, or remain in the dark?"

"And what might those be?" I walked up to Blake.

"Your worried about her, but you won't do anything to stop Loke! Damn it Riley! He already probably fucking raped her!" Blake suddenly yelled at me.

"No. He didn't." I spat.

"Oh? How can you be so sure? You don't know him! You think Lyon or Fox will protect her!? They left us for dead! They couldn't care less! How can you be so stupid, Riley!" Blake spat. "God damn it, Riley! Lyon makes Benedict Arnold seem as loyal as a dog!"

"Did you just connect Lyon to Benedict Arnold?" Sky looked at her brother.

"Yes." Blake kept his eyes on me.

"I'm doing the best I can, Blake." I hissed.

"Hell, for all you know, she could already be in love with Loke, and... Oh I don't know. Carrying his baby." Blake grinned.

I didn't speak, but everyone saw the look I gave Blake.

"R-Riley?" Darren looked at me, I wasn't speaking.

Suddenly I turNed and began walking off.

"I'm finding this son of a bitch to prove you wrong, Blake." I spat as I walked off. Everyone except Blake, Darren, and Sky following.

"How'd you know about john?" Darren looked at Blake.

"Violet told me." Blake sighed.

"That was not called for, Blake." Sky glared at him.

"I was just trying to work him up. Make him want to kill Loke even more. A guy like Riley needs a little nudging." Blake sighed.

"You guys coming!?" Matt called.

"Yeah. Be right there!" Sky called back as they ran to catch up.

:: ::

| Lyon POV |

"Quite drama, huh?" Loke grinned.

We had been spying on their group through that entire talk.

"Their after you. You better hide." I looked at my dad.

"The snake will get the rat." Loke grinned.

"Your the snake?" Fox looked at him.

"And Riley is the rat." Loke nodded. "Trust me when I say, when I want something. I get it."

"Was Blake right? Does Riley not love me?" Fate breathed.

"No he's wrong, fate. Riley loves you more than anything. He's going after us as we speak to save you." I looked at her.

"Thank god..." Fate slumped against a tree.

The Hunters become the Hunted. We are being hunted. I'm afraid what they might do if they see me. Blake wants me dead - that much is obvious. I don't know what Riley wants.

* * *

**AN: this chapter for some reason was the most fun to write yet. I don't know why!**


	39. Season 9 chap 2: Trying to Fail

| Riley POV |

A week had past since we started looking.

"Okay, here's the plan." I leaned in near my group. "Me and Matt go in. Loke hates us most, distract them. The rest of you, surround them. Come out when I give you the signal."

"You two suicidal or what?" Blake sighed.

"It's a good plan." Matt defended me.

"It's happening, whether you like it or not. Sky and Violet spotted Loke and the others by the river a day ago. Can't be too far. We go there, try to find a trail." I spoke.

"Let's just go." Darren spoke. I nodded and walked off, them following.

:: ::

| Lyon POV |

"You see that?" Loke smirked, from where we were hiding and watching.

"Walking right into our trap. Hook, line, and sinker." I smirked, trying to put on a good show, make him think I'm on his side.

"Let's go to the river." Fate nodded and began walking off.

"Let's." Loke grinned.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I knelt in a bush with Matt and Blake as we watched Loke talk to Lyon and Fox. Fate was nowhere to be seen.

"You two go in, don't get reckless. I ain't Savin your asses if this goes south." Blake hissed.

"Don't worry, you won't need to." Matt glared at Blake.

"Good." Blake said one last thing.

"Ready?" I looked at Matt.

"Yeah. The others are hiding elsewhere in the bushes, trees, etc." Matt answered.

"Hey!" I called as we ran out.

"Finally found you." Matt smirked, putting a hand to the pistol in his holster.

"Only you two?" Lyon looked at us. "A shame. Thought there'd be more of a challenge."

"I'm sorry this had to happen..." Fox sighed shakily and took her gun out of its holster.

"Cool it, triggerfinger. No need to get feisty. Right?" I smirked.

"What did you say to her?" Lyon spat, taking his gun out.

"Shut up, Lyon." I hissed at him, now pulling my gun out.

"Lyon. Kill Riley." Loke ordered.

"Will do." Lyon aimed.

Suddenly Matt ran at him, blade drawn. He swung it at Lyon, who barely had time to jump back, getting a deep cut on his arm. Lyon grabbed Matt's arm and twisted it behind his back. He threw Matt down and pinned him. He put his hands on Matt's throat, not choking him though, not squeezing tight enough to choke.

"Matt!" I called as I ran over.

"Don't." A voice spoke, and I turned towards the sound, as I skid to a stop and saw Fate walking to me, gun drawn.

"Fate..." I breathed.

"Riley." She seemed pissed.

"You don't have to do this. I won't hurt you, I never would." I backed away.

"Riley... You already have. You gave me over to a monster, and now you gotta pay." She spat.

"I won't harm you, Fate. I still love you!" I pleaded.

"Really now? You are a fucking liar!" She suddenly screamed at me.

"I won't like this, but if you insist..." I pulled out my gun. "Let's do this. I just want you to know I still love you, even after this."

"You wouldn't harm me, would you?" Fate grinned.

"I will if I must." I sighed shakily.

"Come on, Lyon, Fate. We're leaving." Loke ordered.

"What, why?" Lyon looked up.

"We are outnumbered." Loke pointed and we all saw a silhouette of a person.

"Your groups here, too?" Lyon looked at me.

"Next time, you will be ended." Fate walked past me. As she did I grabbed her hand.

"You don't have to do this. You can come back." I looked into her eyes, the anger was quickly fading out of her face.

"You don't understand, Riley..." Fate stuttered.

"I do. You are scared, I get it. You care about me. Your friends. Lyon, Violet, Fox, everyone. And you are scared he might hurt us, leave you all alone. You can't be scared, and expect to survive in this shit hole, Fate. You have to make your own choices. I know it's hard, but you can make the right choice. You are smart." I looked at her.

"What's taking so long?" Lyon asked, he had gotten off Matt and was near Loke and Fox.

"Riley..." Fate suddenly hugged me, crying into my shoulder.

"Fate... Shh... Shh... It's okay..." I held her.

"I'm sorry." She kissed my cheek, then I felt intense pain as I looked down and saw she had cut my wrist badly with her knife. She then whispered. "To make him believe I still hate you, I love you. We will be together, just promise me you will save me from him?"

"I-I promise..." I mumbled. "Fuck that hurt..."

"Riley!" Matt called, getting up.

"Stay away!" I ordered, then lowered my voice. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Bye..." She kissed my cheek again and walked to Lyon and the other two.

They began walking off, but I snapped my finger on my good hand that wasn't blood covered. Suddenly, they were cut off by Darren and Blake, as Violet went on their right side, Carina on the left, and me, Matt, and Sky got behind them.

"You are surrounded." Blake grinned.

"Damn it..." Lyon hissed.

"Let them go, Loke." I ordered. "And you might get to live."

"Like Hell I will." Loke spat. "Why the hell are you so stubborn?"

"Their our friends." I answered.

"What if I give you Fate will you let me, Lyon, and Fox go?" Loke looked at me, before I could agree, Blake interrupted me.

"No deal." Blake hissed.

"Brother..." Sky breathed.

"We get three, and you die. That's the deal." Blake grinned.

Suddenly Loke turned to Blake, and grabbed him, throwing him into a tree, as we all aimed at him.

"One move I snap his neck." Loke spat.

"Kill him, you idiots!" Blake commanded.

"Don't! He'll kill Blake!" Sky lowered her gun.

"I will!" Loke roared.

"Fine! Let him go, and you can go." I sighed shakily as I dropped my gun. Darren moved aside as Loke threw Blake to the ground and stormed off with Lyon,'Fate, and Fox. As Fate walked off I saw her mouth to me: _see ya again soon. I love you... _And she waved, as tears dropped down.

"We still got the first aid kit?" I looked at Darren.

"We found another before meeting you all again." Carina answered for him. "Come with me, let me stitch your wrist up."

"Thanks." I followed her, but Blake got up and shouted to me which made me stop.

"You had a prime opportune to shoot him! And you let it pass! Your fucking weak! You shoulda let the bastard kill me!" Blake spat at me.

"And let you die!? No. I care about you too much. You have your fucking sister here, don't be so damn selfish!" I glared at Blake, who just glared back.

I went with Carina, and she stitched my wrist that Fate cut.

"Here. Feel better?" She looked at me after.

"Yeah. Thank you." I stood up.

"We are gonna save them, Riley. Don't doubt yourself." She stood.

"Thanks." I walked off.

yes. She's right. I shouldn't doubt myself. I will find and save Fate. Even if it kills me. I love her.


	40. Season 9 chap 3: Retry

**AN: -Spoiler alert for last nights episode- OH MY GOD! Did you see that episode last night! Epic! Who do you think Daryl was talking to at the end when he said "Come on out." I think Beth or Morgan but it's only a guess. And where the hell is Carol!? When Michonne asked him, he got really sad, you could see it in his face!**

* * *

| Riley POV |

I cringed as I took the stitches out of my arm, a gasp escaping. It's been almost two weeks, Carina told me it was safe to take them out. We haven't seen hide nor tail of Loke or his goonies since Fate fucking stabbed me! I'm not mad at her though, how could I be? I still love her!

Darren and Violet claim I only love her to fill a void left by Tiffany. Well to Hell with them, I _know_ how I feel! Blake claims my love is sadly misplaced. I don't care what they think, I will get Fate, Lyon, and Fox back even if it's the last god forsaken thing I do.

I walked over to Darren and Carina.

"Okay, me, Sky, and Blake are going on a search for them." I nodded to them.

"You think that's such a good idea?" Carina looked up, squinting her eyes in the sunlight.

"We need to find them don't we?" I looked down at Carina.

"Yeah. I guess. I mean... I don't want us to die over it." She sighed.

"We won't." I spat.

"I'll protect the group." Darren spoke.

"See to it, everyone lives." I walked off.

:: ::

"We already checked the riverbed on the north and east side. Wanna go to the west? That's the way they were heading when we lost them two weeks ago." Sky was looking at a map while we walked.

"Loke's smart. He's a cock tease, he'd try to shake us any way he can." Blake spat.

"Thats a pretty image." I joked which earned a chuckle out of both of them.

"If Lyon wanted to be found, him, Fate or Fox, wouldn't they leave some clue? A mark on a tree, a bullet on the ground, a dead Infected. Something!" Sky groaned angrily.

"Loke wouldn't allow that." I shook my head.

"Go away." Blake suddenly spoke.

"What?" I looked at him, he was looking at something carved into a tree. It read:_ Go away._

"Think Loke did that?" Sky asked.

"Who else?" Blake spat.

"You were right, Sky. He did leave us a clue." I knelt down, and picked up a bullet for the handgun Lyon used.

"Hey... Look." Blake took it, and showed me the side of it that was carved. The carving read: _2 M W. _

"2 M W?" Sky looked at us confused.

"2 M... W... W could mean West. But what's M?" Blake sighed.

"Miles?" I looked at them.

"Let's go get the others and try it." Blake started walking back.

"Alright." I followed, with Sky close behind.

:: ::

| Lyon POV |

Loke was gone with Fox somewhere to get supplies, I don't know where, and I don't care.

"I hope Riley got the message on the bullet." I whispered.

"He's smart, if he saw it, and read it, of course he'd get it." Fate nodded and smiled weakly.

"I damn hope so..." I sighed.

"What's this about a message on a bullet?" Loke suddenly walked up, holding Fox by her hair, he held a hunters knife to her throat.

"Nothing." I spat.

"You are a terrible liar." Loke shook his head.

"Tell him the truth, Lyon!" Fox pleaded.

"I scribbled our whereabouts on the side of a bullet and left it for Riley." I spoke through grit teeth.

"You are a fool, Lyon!" Loke suddenly spat. "And for your foolishness, your little princess will have to pay."

:: ::

| Riley POV - a few minutes earlier |

"Two miles should be just around here..." Sky spoke.

"You sure?" Blake looked at his little sister.

"Yeah. She's right." Darren nodded.

"I... Shit." Blake broke off.

We saw the scene playing from when Loke approached Lyon. When Loke put the knife to her neck, we all gasped.

"We gotta help her!" Violet ran out without allowing us time to say yes, we ran after her.

"The entire entourage is here." Loke sighed. "Leave or I'll slit this little red-headed she-devils neck."'

"No need to get hostile, Loke..." I approached him, and he took a step back, forcing her with him.

"Riley... Don't..." Fox pleaded.

"Riley... Don't be stupid!" Lyon called.

"Loke. Drop the knife." I ordered.

"Riley... You are a damn fool." Loke spat. "Because of that - this is _your_ fault."

And with that, he pulled the knife, slitting Fox's throat. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Everyone's expressions ranged from shock - to anger - to deep sorrow. Everything seemed to speed up as he threw her down, and made a break for it into the woods, as everyone except Lyon shots at him. Every shot missed, except one from Darren that grazed his arm, but he kept running. Lyon ran and caught Fox as she dropped. Me, Darren, and after a few moments, Blake ran after Loke.

I slowed to a stop deep in the forest.

"We lost him... Fuck!" Blake spat.

"Now Fox is dead, and we don't even have closure!" I spat.

:: ::

As we arrived back, we saw Lyon holding Fox's limp body and crying. Fate was kneeling beside him, tears streaming her face.

We stood, watching them for what seemed like forever. We broke out of he... Trance I guess, when Lyon and Fate jumped up and Fate pulled him back.

Fox's eyes were open and glazed over, she got to her feet shakily and moaned, making her way towards Lyon and Fate.

"No one put her down!?" Blake called.

"He wouldn't let us." Matt answered.

I pulled out my gun but Lyon and Fate pointed their hands at me, and I stopped.

"What?" I looked.

"I got it. She was my girlfriend, it's my job." Lyon pulled out his gun and aimed. He struggled to pull the trigger but eventually just as Fox reached him, he fired and a bullet got lodged in her skull, and she toppled.

"Wheres Loke?" Fate asked me in a whisper as she approached me.

"We lost him." I whispered back.

"What... How... Damn it!" She teared up.

"It's okay... We'll find him. It'll be okay." I soothed her.

Yes. We will find him. And it will be okay. Loke just got on the wrong side of us, and he's gonna pay the piper for it. I'll make sure of it. Fox was a good girl, she didn't deserve it, didn't deserve to die. But Loke does.


	41. Season 10 chap 1: Mr And Mrs Mccgrove

**AN: I'll be uploading once a week, most likely Mondays, and if I'm busy, then on Tuesdays. So sorry...**

* * *

| ? POV |

I looked over at my wife, Emma. I sighed happily, as I sat down beside her. She looked at me, confused as to how in the world I could actually _be happy_.

"Because I'm with you." I replied.

"Shut up..." She mumbled as she kissed my cheek.

Suddenly, numerous gunshots rung out, as we both jumped to our feet.

"The hell was that?" I stared at my wife.

"I don't know, John. Wanna see?" Emma looked at me as I nodded.

"Let's go." I mumbled as we ran to the sound just in time to duck behind a bush as we saw a man slit a young woman's throat and retreat into the woods.

"What the hell..." I mumbled as I saw three boys chase after the man into the woods but return empty handed.

"They lost him..." Emma mumbled.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I looked down angrily as Fox's body dropped like a stone. I turned away towards the way Loke went and sighed.

I gripped my gun in it's holster as I turned and saw a man and woman coming out of hiding.

"Who the hell are you?" Lyon suddenly spat, obviously losing his patience. Who wouldn't though, seeing your father kill your girlfriend in cold blood?

"Cool it.. We don't wanna start a fight or nothin..." The man raised his hands and dropped a hatchet and gun.

"What _do_ you want then?" Blake glared at them.

"That man that fled, who was he?" The woman spoke.

"Never mind that. Who the hell are you!" Blake ordered.

"Uh... I'm _John_ Mccgrove. This is my wife, Emma." The man answered.

At the very mention of the name, _John, _Darren and Violet looked at me, with wide eyes.

"What? It's just a name." I laughed it off to hide how pissed to high friggin' hell I was at the mention of the name.

"What?" John asked.

"Nothing. I'll... Tell you later." Darren sighed.

"So we told you who we are. Who was he?" John spoke.

"Lyons dad, Loke" I pointed at Lyon who shot me an angry glare for obeying them, which I ignored. "We're going to find him. And kill him."

"What are your names?" Emma asked.

"Riley Talon, me. I'm the leader." I answered, then motioned to everyone in turn as I said their names. "Darren, Violet, Lyon, Fate, Matt, Blake, Sky, and Carina."

"Can we... Help you hunt down this sicko?" John asked.

"Of course!" Violet smiled. "Could use all the help we can get."

"Good." Emma smiled big.

"Whatever." Lyon spat angrily.

"Lyon..." Fate sighed.

"Come on, Sky. Let's go to the river and get some water to boil." Blake motioned for his sister to follow.

"Alright, brother." Sky smiled. "Who wants to come?"

"I'll go." Matt smiled. "Violet?"

"Sure..." Violet sighed.

"Me and Carina will go hunting. Come with us, john." Darren spoke.

"Sure..." John sighed, and went with them.

"Me, Lyon, and Fate are gonna find a safe place to call it a night." I said, my arm around Fate's shoulders. "Emma come with us."

"Alright." Emma smiled as we walked off, Fate having to talk Lyon into following. After almost five minutes of coaxing, Lyon finally followed.

:: ::

I knelt by a tree a little bit later and sighed.

"What would be a good place to settle?" Fate looked down at me.

"A house? A building?" Emma suggested.

"We are in the middle of a damn forest, Emma." Lyon sighed. "Where are we going to find a damn building or a house?"

"Lyon. Be nice." Fate frowned at him.

"Shut up." Lyon sighed.

"Okay, Lyon you have to stop. Being in woe-is-me sorrow." I stood up and turned to him.

"Shut the Hell up, Riley." Lyon glared at me.

"No. Lyon, what happened, happened! You have to face it! She's dead - and she isn't coming back no matter what you do. But you can avenge her, don't let your god damn mind get clouded and help us hunt down your father like the animal he is!" I spat at him.

"You know shit about what I'm going through, Riley." Lyon spat at me.

"I know shit, huh?" I shook my head and couldn't help but smile at the idiocy of that statement. "My own best friend killed my mom and my sister, and I had to kill him, and my girlfriend got eaten by undead freakshow wannabes! And I don't fucking know what your going through?! You get your facts straight, Lyon."

Lyon glared at me, with a look that made my skin crawl. He suddenly swung a punch but I caught his arm.

"I won't fight you, Lyon." I spat at him.

"Damn it, Riley!" Lyon suddenly screamed at me. "Why not?"

"Because you're my friend, is why not." I answered, without missing a beat.

Lyon glared at me again, but this time less fierce as he pulled away and backed away, dusting himself off. He turned on his heel and walked off.

"Lyon!" Fate called after him.

"You guys coming or not?!" Lyon called back. "We gotta find a cabin or something, right?"

"Yeah. You're right..." I spoke slowly and followed, holding Fate's hand.

:: ::

| Darren POV |

"You ever go hunting, John?" I looked at the man, holding his hatchet and gun.

"With my dad, years ago." John answered.

"Well now, you're gonna do it again. Deal?" I smiled.

"Deal." John nodded.

"Shh! Look!" Carina shushed us, and pointed at a wild buck that crossed our path.

"Sweet. Keep your voices down." I breathed. "John, you shoot it."

"Me?" John stared.

"Your the only john here. Do it now." Carina ordered.

"Okay okay." John aimed his gun at the Bucks head just below the antler, and fired a bullet into its brain.

"Like shooting Infected in a barrel." I joked and smirked.

"Let's drag it back to camp." Carina pretty much face palmed at my joke.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

We approached a cabin in the woods and Lyon kicked it open and aimed inside.

"Vacant..." I breathed.

"Okay, Emma come with me, we'll lead the other." Lyon spoke. He winked the last line. "Riley, Fate - Don't do anything... Bad."

"We will refrain." I joked.

"Or will we refrain?" Fate giggled.

"We will." I looked at her seriously.

"Good." Lyon left after that.

:: ::

After almost an hour, Lyon returned with the rest of our group. We started thinking up a game plan To take down Loke.

* * *

**AN: Thanks to LukeSkyOtter for the characters of John and Emma Mccgrove.**


	42. Season 10 chap 2: Giving up Hope

**AN: sorry for no update in WEEKS, been busy... Plus writers block didn't help At all... I'm sorry... Anyhow let's start! P.S still sorta have writers block so I'm playin this by ear... And I still have that special chapter planned for one day in December, and no it's not a Christmas themed chap... Still contemplating whether oR not to do that... no spoilers but I'm excited! So after Loke's arc I'll take a break until then. Fair warning! Enough procrastinating... Let's get this started!**

* * *

| Loke POV |

I looked at the young girl as my knife pierced her neck, and the girl known as Fox dropped. I turned on my heel, and fled into the woods. I heard gunshots after me as bullets sailed past me. I turned once and saw Blake, Darren, and that useless pest Riley chasing me. I had to lose them, but how? I turned quickly and changed directions and saw them still giving tail. Fuck! How do I lose three rats in a maze of trees? Dangle cheese in front of them of course... If only I had cheese.

I turned and saw they had slowed down, obviously growing exhausted. Perfect! I sped up, having been saving my energy for the final stretch. It all comes down to this... The gold. Not the bronze or silver.. The prestigious gold. First place... No one can stop me now! I saw the mouth of a cave and I turned and broke off the path I had ran into up until that point. I reached the mouth and ran to the end, and pressed my back to the wall and saw the three neanderthals run past it completely oblivious.

I regret nothing. If I could go back in time to redo that... Killing Fox, my sons girlfriend... I would do so much worst... You see? None of those idiots The group has fought before even come close to me... Lyon told me stories that Darren and Riley told him - Dante, John, Jack, Jess, Nowi, and Nova - none of those weaklings even amount to me. Jess torturing and killing that De, John slaughtering Rileys mom and sister, and almost him. If Riley had any intelligence at all he woulda seen through Johns masquerade. Dante beating Rileys deceased girlfriend, and killing two group mates. Nova cutting off Fates finger. Jack feeding a woman to Infected. Nowi shooting two members point blank. None of this shit even amounts to what I have planned. Not by a long shot. When I'm done, not one of those people will be left standing. Sadly, not even Lyon, my son.

I'm just gonna relax here for a while... Wait for the heat to die down, then, my friends... My master plan shall be put into motion.

:: ::

A week has passed since I took refuge in that God damn cave.

I've been spying on the group every now and then. Currently I'm crouching on a branch and watching the newcomer John Mccgrove, accompanied by Darren and Carina getting pails of water. If I wanted to I could jump down and snap all their necks without a moments hesitation. But... Then again, Riley, Fate, and Lyon are my true targets.

Riley because he's he leader, without him the group will crumble. Plus he made my own flesh and blood turn on me.

Fate because well... Riley loves her, if she's taken out he will weaken.

And Lyon because my own flesh betrayed me... Tried and succeeded to join Rileys group against me.

Darren glanced up and his eyes passed over me, but I was hidden by leaves. Fool! He didn't see me.

"Odd... Thought I saw something." Darren rubbed his brow.

"You are paranoid. That monster is still out there, and your scared he might be hunting us." John looked at Darren.

"Yeah..." Darren sighed.

Idiot... He doesn't know I _am_ up here.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I woke up a morning a week later and saw Lyon looking at me.

"Morning..." I mumbled groggily, brushing Fates hair back as she slept snuggled up in my arms.

"We need to talk, Riley. Alone." Lyon stood and walked outside.

"Alright..." I scooted away from Fate, gently as not to wake her, and followed Lyon outside.

"What's the point of going on?" Lyon Whispered.

"What do you mean?" I lookEd at him.

"Fox was the only thing that kept me alive... Without her I just want to die..." Lyon sighed shakily.

"Fox would want you to live, Lyon. She wouldn't want you this depressed, and even wanting to die. She'd want you to live!" I spat at Lyon. Lyon suddenly slammed my back against a wall and pinned me there.

"You know nothing of what she'd want! You Didn't even know her!" Lyon screamed at me. "I knew every last detail about her! And now she's dead! And that _monster_ is still out there!"

"I lost a girlfriend too... Remember?" I looked him in the eyes.

"But you had Darren... You had Emily. Your whole group. I have no one!" Lyon spat.

"You have me... and Fate..." I looked at him as if in disbelief. "Everyone in this group cares about you Lyon..."

"Shut up!" Lyon spat, anger growing. "You didn't even know Fox!"

"He didn't. but I did." Fate walked up, obviously having been awoken by the screams. "Rileys right, Lyon. I knew Fox and we were best friends since long before the Infected rose! She was the sweetest kindest person ever! She wouldn't want you to die just because she's... Gone!"

Fate started tearing up.

"S-shut up..." Lyon mumbled.

"Lyon... Don't do anything rash. Please..." Fate mumbled.

"Listen to her, Lyon. She's right." I mumbled.

Lyon finally let me go and stormed back into the house. Clapping was suddenly heard and both me and Fate turned to see Loke standing in the forest, grinning.

"Bravo... Calming down Lyon..." Loke grinned, and pulled a pistol out aiming. A gunshot sounded.

* * *

**AN: CLIFFHANGER! If you could. In a review tell me what you think happened.**


	43. Season 10 chap 3: Shot

| Riley POV - Future |

I threw the shovel to the ground, tears streaming down my cheeks. I knelt by the freshly buried hole and sighed shakily. I heard the footsteps and saw a familiar person drape their arm around me as they hugged me, crying.

"It's okay... Please don't cry..." The person mumbled.

:: ::

| Riley POV - Present |

I stared in shock as the bullet collided into the ground in between my feet, missing by half an inch. Loke grinned, and aimed up at my chest. I gulped but as he went to pull the trigger, and the bullet sailed at me I was tackled out of the way by Darren.

"Shit, boy! You okay!?" Darren looked at me, wide eyed.

"Yea- Fate!" I called as a bullet sailed at her but she was tackled last moment by Lyon.

"Thanks Lyon..." Fate breathed.

"Stop this, Father!" Lyon stood, not hearing Fate's statement or just flat out ignoring it.

"You saved the boys girlfriend? Huh... Your mother was the same way, always putting other people before herself." Loke shook his head and sighed.

"Don't you _dare_ talk about her!" Lyon spat.

"Gettin' defensive are we?" Loke grinned, and sighed. "Lyon, let me ask you something. How _did_ she die? Hmm, son? At that camp... she was found dead... Eaten... But what if... Stay with me now. What if... someone fed her to the abomanations? Let her die? And what if, that person was me?" Loke smirked.

"W-what? Why?!" Lyon spat.

"I told her of my plans... To kill everyone except you guys. Sam, Corey, Casey, Brittanie, Autumn, Marvin, Wil... All of them." Loke sighed. "Dumb whore threatened to tell you, to warn you. Pretty pathetic actually... picking a bunch of strangers over Her own husband... Kinda... Comical when you think about it. so I killed her, slit her neck, lured flesh brains to her and let them chow down. By the time you found her there was Nothing left but bones."

"Why did you wanna kill them anyway?" Darren stared. Loke aimed at him, but didn't fire.

"don't speak unless spoken to, okay?" Loke glared, losing patience.

"Drop it!" Lyon ordered.

"Or what?" Loke grinned and me and Darren stood up, staring at him. Not backing down. "Maybe I will make an example of Riley here."

He fired at my chest, and as it almost hit me and i closed my eyes nothing happened. No pain, no darkness, no sweet death, nothing. It's like time froze...

Then I heard it. Lyon gasping, Fate crying, Loke laughing. I opened my eyes and saw Darren had gotten in front of me and took the bullet for me.

"Darren!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face.

With his last ounce of strength he spoke to me... He sounded weak, defeated. It broke my heart... He was like a dad to Me...

"You... saved my ass more times than I care to remember, boy... I... Am so happy to have been able... To be partners with you... I'm... Dying happy... Take... Good care of Fate and everyone..." With that his eyes closed and he let out one last breath, bleeding from the wound in his chest.

"D-Darren..." I dropped to my knees.

"Holy shit..." Fate mumbled, crying hard.

"Y-You..." Lyon clenched his fists, shaking and seething from rage. "You cold hearted monster!"

"Oh... Harsh words from a little kid." Loke looked at his son, and cocked his gun. "Who next? Darling Fate... Puny Riley... Weak Lyon... or maybe one of the other sleeping people inside... Sky, Blake... I don't know... Too many rats in this maze..."

"Darren..." Fate kept mumbling as tears kept coming, she was either completely ignoring Loke or just not caring.

I wasn't so lucky, I could not stop looking at the monster, as he mocked us. We had to do something... He killed Emily, Rebecca, Quinn, Fox... Now Darren!

I reached my gun but he fired and it barely missed my hand, as a simple warning. That bullet smashed into the cabin window and awoke everyone inside. Blake, Sky, Violet, Emma, John, and Carina came out, seeing Loke aiming at us.

"The monster himself..." Blake mumbled, clenching his fists.

"He's here and... Oh shit..." Sky stared, dropping to her knees, crying. "Darren..."

"Fuck..." John mumbled, reaching for his gun but stopped when Loke aimed at him.

"Your new... You and that slut of a wife. They won't miss you. So why not you first?" Loke tilted his head to one side and smiled maliciously.

"Darren!" Violet's eyes flashed in rage and she stared at Loke. She had more anger now than ever before. And I could see by how Blake stared at her that he saw it too, and admired it. She was probably more pissed now than when Emily died... "You little..."

"Oh? The little pipsqueak speaks up... Wonderful!" Loke clapped.

"Father..." Lyon mumbled, gritting his teeth.

"Yes?" Loke grinned.

"I will kill you." Lyon spat. "I swear to God."

"This is _my_ story, fellas..." Loke breathed slowly. "I choose who lives who dies. Who gets killed off, who survives. I wrote this. This world... The sign of a true writer is know whose weak and expendable. Darren, Emily... Fox... The others, all expendable. Weak!"

"You know what true strength is? Not the ability to kill without a flinch, but the ability to stand up against all odds and save the ones you care about! The ability to look every single adversity in the face and say you won't give up! Seeing your friends, your family die, and still living! Not giving in, even when other people tell you to! That's what strength is! You're the weak one, Loke!" Lyon spat.

"I'm weak... Me?" Loke stared in shock.

"Yes you." Lyon stared.

"My own flesh... Turned against me. Pathetic!" Loke spat, losing his cool for the first time.

"Lyon..." Fate looked at him, wiping dried tears.

"Shut up." Lyon pointed a finger at her, but kept his eyes on Loke. "This is between me and my old man."

"Lyon... You don't-" I began but was cut off.

"Shut up, Riley." Lyon spat.

"Finally grown a pair huh?" Loke smiled. "Bout damn time."

"I will speak and you will listen." Lyon ordered and walked to him, ignoring the gun barrel now pressed to his chest.

"Speak. And if it annoys me you will die." Loke shrugged.

"Look into my eyes. These eyes, these damn hollow, dark eyes. These eyes, these eyes are the eyes of the person who will end your life, Father." Lyon looked him in the eyes.

"My own flesh threatened me?" Loke scoffed with a grin. "Fan-fucking-tastic!"

"You killed my girlfriend. My mom. My friends. Rot in Hell, Father." Lyon scoffed, and begin walking off, but his dad grabbed him and slammed him into a tree hard, pinning him. Me, Blake, and John went to help but Lyon pointed his finger at us telling us to stay back.

"The hero thinks he can take on his old man without some back up!?" Loke hissed. "You got balls, you know that?"

Lyon managed to punch Loke across the face making him let go.

Loke grabbed Lyon, tackling him to the floor.

"You ungrateful..." Loke hissed, finally losing that bravado he had since we knew him.

Lyon struggled ane pushed his father off him, kicking him hard in the gut.

"Lyon..." Fate mumbled, as we all watched.

"Shut up." Lyon hissed, as he grabbed Loke by the neck, punching him hard.

Loke kicked Lyon in the gut, making him let go, as he twisted Lyons arm behind his back.

Lyon kicked his foot back making the back of his foot make it's mark on Loke's nuts, as Loke dropped to a knee. As Loke went to stand he stopped when he saw Lyon pointing his gun at Loke.

"You will shoot your old man? You will burn for this." Loke spat.

"Shut up." Lyon hissed.

"Just pull it!" Loke ordered. "If you got the balls to aim it then pu-"

Loke was cut off by the explosion of a gun as Lyon's gun let loose a single bulllet burying itself in Loke's skull.

"Lyon..." Fate breathed.

"Loke shot him in the chesT... You mind?" I said, looking at Darren's body.

"Sure." Lyon mumbled as he shot Darren in the head.

"I'll go bury him." I knelt and picked up his body shakily and slumped away.

:: ::

I threw the shovel to the ground, tears streaming down my cheeks. I knelt by the freshly buried hole and sighed shakily. I heard the footsteps and saw a familiar person drape their arm around me as they hugged me, crying.

"It's okay... Please don't cry..." The person mumbled.

"Fate..." I mumbled and hugged her crying.

"He died a hero, Riley... He saved you." Fate mumbled as she held me close.

"I know..." I cried harder.

Darren... You will never be forgotten... I swear it... Dad.


	44. Special Chapter: HAPPY BIRTHDAY

**AN: this is the special chapter I spoke about in my earlier ones! So here goes...**

* * *

| Riley POV |

A little over a month has passed since Loke's demise... Since we lost Darren and Fox. The date is December 28. I am leaning on a tree watching the snow drift down. It's kind of... Beautiful. Right?

Blake walked to me and sighed, his arms crossed.

"What's up?" I looked at him.

"You... Like my sister, right? Sky..." Blake looked at me.

"She's cool. What's up?" I arched an eyebrow.

"Tomorrow the 29th is her birthday., I've been marking the days on the calender for months..." Blake sighed. "I wanna do something special for her... Can you help... we take a run to a store, something! I can get something for her. I need back up."

"Sure... I didn't think anyone celebrated birthdays anymore... This is sweet, Blake. Sure. I'll have Fate, Lyon, and Carina watch so she doesn't notice we are gone. We leave tonight after she falls asleep. Deal?" I looked at him and he nodded.

"Thanks..." Blake smiled weakly.

"No problem." I nodded.

:: ::

That night I watched from afar as Blake knelt by a sleepy Sky.

"I'm going to sleep..." Sky rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"You do that... Don't worry Lyon, Carina, and Fate will be here on watch." Blake smiled and pat her head.

"Okay... Love YA bro..." Sky smiled and hugged Blake before laying down.

"Love you too..." Blake smiled and stood. "Good night."

"Good night..." Sky slowly drifted to sleep.

"You ready?" I looked at Blake as he walked to me.

"Yeah." Blake nodded.

"Lets go. I know a store." I walked off.

"Thanks." Blake smiled and followed.

"No problem." I smiled.

:: ::

We approached a small store a few miles away and walked to the doors pushing them open.

I slammed my knife as an Infected reached for me. It toppled.

"it's overrun!" Blake spat.

"Theres only... 5!" I spat, and slammed my knife as another fell, leaving three.

Blake pulled out his gun popping the last three.

"Dude, conserve ammo!" I looked at him.

He knelt down and picked up two full ammo boxes from a shelf.

"Waste three, gain... What? Thirty? Hahah." Blake laughed.

"Your right... Let's go theres a section over here that might find what you want to give Her." I walked to a jewelry table that had a bunch of necklaces on it.

"She loves diamonds..." Blake smiled, pulling out a gorgeous diamond necklace.

"Thats beautiful... lets go Blake." I smiled and turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm. "Huh? What's up?"

"YoU helped me I say... You get something for her too." Blake looked at me seriously.

"Okay... I will..." I looked and grabbed a beautiful bracelet.

"Let's go Now." Blake smiled.

:: ::

The next day... December 29.

Blake sat near Sky and I watched from a tree far away with Fate.

"You think she'll like it?" Fate looked at me.

"Of course." I smiled.

"I hope So." Fate sighed.

I looked and saw Sky's eyes flutter open and she looked at Blake as if in a daze then she rubbed her eyes and smiled.

"Good morning, Blake!" She smiled at him.

"Morning. Do you know what today is?" Blake grinned.

"No... What?" She tilted her head.

"Today is December... December 29th." Blake looked at her.

"My... Birthday? How'd you know? Oh... That calendar you always carry." Sky looked at him and smiled.

"Here..." He handed her the necklace and her eyes brightened and she blushed slightly and hugged him tight.

"Oh my God... It's beautiful..." Sky held him tightly.

"I know..." Blake smiled and hugged her.

"Also here..." Me and Fate walked to her and I handed her the bracelet and she smiled at us.

"Thank you..." She smiled.

"Anytime.." I smiled at her, and She hugged me. I hugged back.

"We were gonna get A cake... But you know... Times." Fate chuckled.

"I understand." Sky smiled.

"Today's a day of relaxing for you, Sky. You and Blake. I'm going on a hunt with Fate and Lyon. Have fun." I smiled and turned to leave.

"Happy Birthday." Fate smiled at Sky as she followed.

"Thank you all..." Sky teared up, and cried tears of joy as we left and Blake held her tight.

* * *

**AN: so... This chapter is dedicated to my friend who gave me the character Sky, Deadgirl991214 whose actual birthday is today - December 29! HAPPY B-DAY!**


	45. Season 11 Chap 1: Return

**AN: this chapter I've been planning for a long time but since Loke is dead. And I already know who the next villain will be. I'm taking a break from villains. So yeah. Btw I just got into Another show, American Horror Story. And just finished season 1 so no spoils please!**

* * *

| Riley POV |

I woke up one morning and looked at Fate, who was nuzzled in my arm

. I turned and saw Lyon, awake and sharpening his knife. I stood, and went over by Lyon.

"Couldn't sleep?" I yawned.

"No." Lyon looked away. "I've been thinking..."

"About?" I asked.

"Camp Haven..." Lyon looked at me dead in the eyes. "We need to go back."

"What? It was overrun last time we saw it!" I stared at him, in shock and disbelief.

"I know! God, I know... We lost Emily there, and we lost Quinn, and..." He broke off, emotions welling up in him. He continued after a minute. "We need to go. _I_ need to go!"

"Why...?" I looked at him.

"it's been killing me for a while." Lyon began. "Fox. I need something to remember her by. A photograph. We left it where we slept, when the herd came. It was taken on our first date by the waiter. Riley I can't go alone. I can't risk it! If the herd remains and sees me, if some other group claimed it and sees me, I'll die. I can't risk it! Please."

"A whole herd came in, Lyon! You aren't thinking rationally! They probably trampled it, _destroyed_ it!" I looked at Lyon as he shook his head, obviously fully intent on risking his hide for a photograph.

"I just need something! Some... Some closure!" Lyon was pleading. "Riley, you more than anyone can understand wanting closure, because you never got it. Tiffany?"

"Darren shot her." I looked down. "I was too weak to."

"So, you understand. Right? Like I do. Wanting closure. I had a little, when I shot her myself. But I need more. Some... Material possession she held dear. Please, Riley!" Lyon pleaded, and I sighed.

"Fine. I'll help. If it were Fate, I'd want closure too." I nodded.

"Bring everyone. Blake, Sky, Fate, everyone." Lyon said after me as I walked off.

"Okay." I nodded to him.

"Riley?" I heard Fate look at me as I sat down beside her. "I heard your and Lyons chat..."

"What about it?" I looked away.

"We are really going back?" Fate looked at me.

"No choice. If I were in his shoes I'd go alone if I had to." I sighed and kissed her forehead. "It'll be okay, I promise..."

"I trust you..." Fate smiled weakly.

:: ::

We started heading back to Camp Haven. As we reached the front doors they were still smashed in, and a few stragglers remain but other than that it seemed empty.

We drew our guns and fired on each and every straggler we saw.

"Find the closure, you guys. Me and Sky will keep watch." Blake spoke and went to the front gate.

"Why did you volunteer me..." Sky mumbled, but followed Blake.

"I'll help you, Lyon." Matt followed Lyon, with Fate following and motioning for me to go with them.

"John, Emma, Violet, go check out the houses. Find anything useful.

Carina, go stand on watch with Blake and Sky." I ordered.

As we were looking in Lyon and Fox's old room, Lyon gasped in joy and picked up the photo. It was nearly untouched.

"that looks mint..." Matt mumbled.

"How the hell is it so... Clean?" Fate whispered.

As Lyon went to answer, Carina, blake, and Sky ran in.

"Giant herd. Coming." Carina gasped.

"what the hell do we do!?" Fate looked at me.

"get Violet, John, and Emma. And leave. Their in one of the houses." I answered.

"Let's hurry." Blake spoke as he ran out, to find them.

"damn it, Blake! Wait!" Sky ran after him.

"Their too hasty. Damn it!" Carina stomped her foot, and followed them.

"Let's go." I ordered as we followed them out.

:: ::

"Violet! John! Emma!" We were calling their names.

Violet came out of one of the houses carrying a crate of damned foods. John followed with a crate of ammo, Emma in last with a jug of water.

"What's wrong?" John asked.

"A giant herd, coming here." Lyon answered.

"What!? We have to go!" Violet reached for her gun.

"Drop the ammo, food, and water. It'll only slow you down." I called.

"Let's go." Blake called. "We have to hurry, it'll be here any minute."

"Let's." Lyon agreed.

We went to the front Gate and saw the herd closing in.

"Shit..." Lyon mumbled.

"The forest! Go go go!" I ordered. "Now! We aren't getting separated again!"

No one complained and headed to the dense forest. It was about half way through we lost the herd.

"Guys." I breathed. "We can stop..."

"Shit..." Matt breathed.

"What's up, Matthew?" Emma looked at him.

"Blake... Sky... Their missing!" Matt gasped.

"What? They must've gotten separated when we ran..." Fate breathed.

"We have to go find them!" Violet pleaded.

"No! Their dead or their gone. Or on their way back. But we can't risk losing anyone else!" I spat.

"We have to at least _try_, Riley!" Fate pleaded.

"No. It's a sucide mission! Just like this was!" I clinched my fists but turned to Lyon. "No offense. You couldn't of known.

"It's still my fault." Lyon looked down.

"No. It's not. They knew the risk. I asked each and every one of you if you wanted to come. They agreed and were fully comfortable with the risk." I looked at everyone. "We are going back. Now. Their on their back probably."

"Riley. So you're just cutting our losses? Whatever. Fine. Let's go." Fate scoffed and crossed her arms, walking off.

:: ::

| Blake POV |

"We lost them..." Sky gasped as Infected blocked our path and the others kept running not noicing we fell behind.

"We can't call for help. The other Infected will hear... We have to go another way!" I grabbed her hand, and we ran past the Infection and ran another way.

As we ran, we got completely surrounded. All seemed loss. I looked around and held Sky close.

Just then the sound of helicopter blades sounded and I looked to see a rope ladder drop out of a helicopter beside us.

"Get on!" The person inside called. "Hurry!"

"Can we trust him?" Sky asked.

"We have to." I mumbled and climbed up with her behind me and when we were in we pulled the rope into the copter and soared into the sky.

**AN: CLIFF HANGER! And so you know, blake and sky will be out of this story and missing for a while.**


	46. Season 11 chapter 2: Seduction

**AN: I realized I write the best chapters when I'm pissed (Shot, Taken,'The Killer Revealed, etc.) so this one might be one of those. let's see. This one might piss off some people. Hehe. :x**

* * *

| ? POV |

I watched the group return from wherever the hell they went. The number was lowered by two. Blake and Sky. Sucks. They would've been the first two I handled. Them and Carina of course. The newbies from Camp Haven.

You are probably wondering how I know their names and faces. How I know about Camp Haven. It's a simple answer, really. I was there. In Camp Haven. With them. I was with Jessica before them, though. They left me there, forgot about me. They messed with the wrong person.

:: ::

| Matt POV |

"Hey, Riley?" I looked at him.

"What's up, Matthew?" Riley turned to me.

"I'm going for a walk okay?" I looked down.

"Just be safe." Riley nodded with a smile.

:: ::

I walked into the forest, but a hand launched out of a bush, pulling me in.

I looked at the girl who grabbed me.

"Matthew?" She breathed.

"Wait... Kayla?" I mumbled.

"Yes! You remember me?" She mumbled.

"Vaguely..." I mumbled. "You are from camp Haven. You're still alive? We thought you died when the herd came through..."

"Im still alive." Kayla giggled silently then turned serious. "Where's Riley's group?"

"Oh... Umm follow me,'Kayla." I stood up quickly and took her hand, tugging her after me as we walked. "It sucks but we lost Fox, Darren, Blake, and Sky..."

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Kayla frowned and hugged me.

"Uh,'thanks." I mumbled.

"Anytime." Kayla smirked and followed me.

She was always kind of weird... I never understood her.

"We almost there?" She smiled at me.

"Yeah, Kayla." I mumbled.

"Good." She smiled and had a little skip in her step as she walked. I kept her hand in mine and sighed.

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I watched Matt return with a girl I haven't seen in ages. Kayla... I never particularly trusted this girl to be fair.

"Guys, look who I found!" Matt called and smiled.

"Kayla?" Lyon stood up.

"Hey lyon... I heard about Fox. I'm sorry." Kayla mumbled.

"It's fine. I got revenge." Lyon smirked weakly.

"That's good." Kayla smiled.

"Welcome home, Kayla." I stood up and walked to her.

:: ::

| Matt POV |

That night, I lay against a tree outisde. Lyon and Violet on guard duty.

Kayla sat beside me.

"If I may ask... How old are you, Matthew?" Kayla turned to me.

"16... I was 13 when this shit started. And it's been about three years." I answered.

"Me too!" Kayla smiled big.

"Cool." I smiled at her as she suddenly leaned in and kissed me. I jumped back almost instantly. "What the hell, Kayla!?"

:: ::

| Kayla POV |

Finally, after months of stalking them and thinking up a fool proof plan. Have one of their own turn on them. And the victim I pick is... Matthew. I just need to trick him. But who should I target first... Carina. That's good.

"Hey, Matt?" I whispered.

"What?" Matt looked at me.

"Come here..." I spoke softly.

He knelt in front of me and I kissed him, not allowing him to pull away even though he tried.

"What are you doing, Kayla?!" Matthew mumbled and tried to pull away.

"Stop struggling... Please..." I whispered.

"Kayla..." Matt mumbled and stopped struggling and kissed me. It felt good. I almost felt bad for what happened next. I pulled away and sighed heavily.

"I heard talk tonight... Violet and Carina are plotting to kill Riley and Lyon and take over the group." I mumbled.

"What? Why should I believe you. Their our friends..." Matt breathed.

"No no no... It's all an act. A charade. Blake and Sky were supposed to help them... But their gone." I looked at Matt.

"What do I do...?" Matt mumbled.

"Save them. Kill Violet and Carina." I sighed. "I don't like it, but it's what has to be done."

"Yes." Matt nodded, and grabbed his sword. He went over by where Carina slept alone but not too far from Riley and Fate.

He swung the blade down on her neck with a loud CLANG. Surprisingly, all Riley and Fate did was stir. Not wake up. He found Violet, and snuck up behind her swinging his sword but last second he stopped As a gunshot was heard. He turned and saw Lyon aiming.

"Put the sword down, Matthew!" Lyon spat.

**AN: CLIFF HANGER... KINDA this will piss off at least some people... Eh whatever. UNTIL NEXT TIME :) 3**


	47. Season 11 Chap 3: Torn

| Riley POV |

I woke as I heard the gunshot and saw Lyon had missed Matt on purpose. I ran up with The others, everyone had woken up from the shot.

"What the hell is going on here!?" I called to lyon, Matt had dropped the sword. "Put the gun down, Lyon!"

"Fat chance! He murdered Carina!" Lyon spat, and kept aiming.

"He..." Fate mumbled and turned slowly to where Carina had slept. She dropped to her knees, crying. "What the hell, Matt!?"

"She was..." Matt began but was cut off by John.

"Can your excuses!" John spat.

"Matt why did you do it..." Violet mumbled. "I was next... Why!? Aren't we friends...?"

"We are, Violet. We are..." Matt mumbled.

"Then why!?" Violet suddenly yelled at him, which shocked pretty much everyone. Because as Loke once said, _Oh? The little pipsqueak speaks up... _

"You and Carina... With Blake and Sky were planning to kill Riley and Lyon." Matt told the story he was told. "Kayla told me she heard you."

"What? I said no such-" Kayla began but was cut off.

"Shut the fuck up! Both of you!" Lyon spat, seething.

"Lyon..." Matt breathed.

"Shut up before the next bulllet is buried into your fucking skull, Matthew!" Lyon suddenly screamed.

"Kayla is what he said true? Did you lie to him? And for what, revenge?" I approached her.

"You believe him...?" Kayla gasped, shocked.

"He's been with us for almost a year. Probably more. I believe him way more than I believe some bitch I just met. Start talking! Before I allow lyon to kill you!" I spat.

"I don't need your permission, Riley." Lyon glared at me.

"Shut up. You do." I glared back.

"Fine... I'll admit it. Cats out of the bag, the truth shines through." Kayla scoffed. "I told Matt to kill Carina and Violet. Created Some lie about their betrayal."

"Why..." Violet mumbled.

"Because you... You idiot!" Kayla suddenly screamed at Violet. "Why should you have been allowed to live when my entire family was killed in that herd Lyon and his bitch girlfriend and this asshole Matt lured here!?"

Suddenly a gunshot rung out and everyone turned to see Lyon had shot her dead.

"No one calls Fox a bitch." Lyon muttered.

Lyon changed the guns aim, cocked it and aimed it at Matt.

"Lyon, don't!" I called.

"Why not, Riley!? Huh!? You told me a while ago, you wanted to prove your a good leader!? Well, kill him!" Lyon ordered suddenly.

"Riley..." Matt mumbked and backed away but into Violet. "Please! I'm sorry!"

"Now, Riley! Now! Are you weak or are you strong! Are you the master or the bitch! Prove that your top dog! Kill him!" Lyon glared at me.

I was torn... On one hand Lyon was right. Matthew deserved this, and much much more. But thing is... On the other hand. I can't bring myself to pull the trigger. End the life of a dear friend turned traitor.

I, to this day don't know how it was that easy with John. Maybe because he had murdered my mom and sister in cold blood. It's a possibility, you know?

I stared at Matt as he kept backing up, but Violet grabbed his arms, holding him in place as he struggled.

Seriously, I can't make this decision! Matthew has been there for us... When Nova snapped, when that herd destroyed Emily and Quinn... When Loke rose and killed Fox and Darren. When Sky and Blake went missing.

"I can't make this choice, Lyon..." I breathed.

"Damn it! Yes, you can, Riley! I know it, you know it, they know it, even he fucking knows it!" Lyon spat. "You're the leader, the big dog on campus? Well prove it! Prove that you're not some bitch! Prove that Emily and John were wrong about how you were a terrible leader!"

"Lyon..." I began.

"He's right, Riley." Violet sighed angrily.

"He's a traitor, he deserves this and worst." Fate spat.

"You killed and strangled John to death but you can't shoot another murderous traitor?" Violet scoffed.

"It's not that easy to kill a friend, to kill anyone." I sighed. "Lyon you said it yourself!"

"No. I said it doesn't take strength to kill, it takes strength to protect your loved ones. And Riley, by killing him you are protecting your loved ones." Lyon glared at me. "Fate, me, Violet, your _family_!"

"He's right, Riley." Fate breathed.

"I know he is." I spat, and pulled out my gun.

"Riley... Please, don't!" Matt pleaded as he struggled against Violet's grip.

"I'm sorry, Matthew." I grit my teeth, as I raised the gun and Violet let go of him, and backed away so she wouldn't be hit.

Matthew closed his eyes, breathing hard. I felt sick to my stomach as I pulled the trigger and a gunshot rang out and a bullet smashed into Matt's head.

Lyon smiled, as if triumphant.

"You proved it, Riley." Lyon smirked.

"But at what cost..." I sighed.

"You made the right choice." Fate reassured me.

"I want to believe I did, I do." I shook my head. "I just... Don't know."

"It is a bitter sweet victory, huh?" Emma looked at me.

"Totally." I agreed.

"Let's go... Mourn." Violet grit her teeth and headed back inside.

I watched them all head in, and Fate held my hand, tugging me in as we went to bury the bodies of Carina, Matt, and even Kayla.

This world... It has changed all of us. Some, like Lyon for the better. He has become the guardian of the group.

And some, like Loke for the worst. A person who got a kick of seeing his enemies squirm.

* * *

**AN: Question: What would you do if you were In Riley's shoes? Would you have spared or killed Matthew?**


	48. Epilogue chapter 1 - Saved

**AN: as the title suggests I am closing up this story :) probably just gonna be two chapters of the epilogue sorry ;-; **

* * *

| Blake POV |

I woke and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, and looked around. I was on a soft and cushy bed. Sky was asleep on one on the other side of the room, sleeping peacefully.

I shook her awake.

"Huh... What? Blake? Why are you up so early?" Sky frowned and turned so her back was to me so she could try to sleep again.

"We have to talk to _him _Sky." I whispered, and her ears seemed to perk up like she was listening with eagerness.

"Why?" She asked after a minute.

"We don't even know his name, Sky!" I spat.

"He saved us, that's all that matters." Sky turned back to me. "Rather be here with a stranger who feeds us and has hot water for showers, then eaten by drooling cannibals. Right?"

"But... Yeah, right. I guess so." I sighed. "But what if it's a charade? What if he's planning to kill us?"

"If he wanted to kill us he would have done it by now." Sky reassured me.

"What if he wants to give us a false sense of security?" I mumbled.

The door suddenly opened a man in a lab coat, glasses and gloves walked in. Sky instantly sat up and I held her hand tightly.

"Blake, still not trusting me?" The man sighed. "I saved your lives. Least you can do is trust me, right?"

"We still don't know your name." I spat.

"Right. Why didn't you just ask? My name is Cyrus Steele." The man nodded, and took off his glasses to clean them with a rag. "I'm the lone survivor at this bio hazard prevention center. BHPC for short. You are safe here."

"Thank you." Sky's eyes seemed to light up.

"Where are our friends? Can you find them? Please? And bring them?" I begged.

"About that..." Cyrus sighed. "Follow me."

He turned and left the room, motioning for us to follow. We did.

We followed him to a large room with one giant computer screen in the center.

"Before I find your friends." Cyrus began. "I have a few questions..."

:: ::

| Riley POV |

I woke and stretched my arms.

"Morning." Lyon smirked, and looked from where he was sitting.

"Morning..." I mumbled, and looked down at Fate who was still asleep nuzzled into my arms.

"I've been thinking." Lyon sighed. "What if Blake and Sky escaped? Shouldn't we search for them?"

"No one could have survived that many Infected." I spat. "Their dead. It sucks and I'm sad, they were good people. Sweet. But it's the cruel reality now Lyon."

"How can you talk like that?" Lyon seemed shocked. "You always said how 'no man left behind until proven dead by our own eyes.' And now that is put to the test and you turn chicken shit!?"

"Because! I know this world! The ins and outs! The dead the alive! And they are as good as dead. I just swear to God Lyon, if they did survive that, their 100 miles away." I spoke a little too loud it woke Fate up.

"what's going on?" Fate mumbled, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"We were deciding whether or not to go after Blake and Sky. I want to, but your boyfriend thinks their dead." Lyon spat.

"Riley, they might be alive..." Fate muttered.

"I know there's a chance, but... Fine!" I groaned. "Let's risk our asses, I don't care!"

"They are our friends. And friends make sacrifices for each other. We have no choice anymore, Riley." Lyon looked at me empathetically.

"Fine. I'll wake the others and we will go. Your right. Friends sacrifice for each other. Friends hurt for each other. And all for the end goal." I stood and walked off.

:: ::

We went back to camp haven to see if they had returned. It was overrun. As we went to turn to leave we same face to face with another group.

"Shit!" Lyon took a step back.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Violet spat.

"Told ya this was suicide!" I spat.

"Don't start with that shit Riley!" Lyon glared at me.

"Shut up, both of you!" Fate ordered before I could talk again. "And just run!"

"Good idea." Lyon mumbled and ran off.

"Damn it! Wait up!" I spat as we ran after him.

As we ran, the group from the Camp saw us and joined in the chase. We were suddenly surrounded.

"Riley?" Fate looked at me.

"After all the struggle... All the heartbreak... All the betrayal... All the hate, the sadness. Fighting through it all. Is this where it ends!?" Lyon hissed. "To die from some cannibals hocked up on gluttony!?

"It ends here... At the hands of Infected. Not some person, not guns but teeth and claws." I breathed. "Fantastic. After all the hard work."

Suddenly helicopter blades were heard and we looked up to see a huge helicopter hovering overhead.

"Riley!? Lyon!?" A voice called.

"Who are you!?" Lyon called.

"Names Cyrus Steele! Blake and Sky sent me! I have them! Don't worry, I'm a friend! Just come up!" He called as a ladder dropped.

"Lyon?" I looked at him.

"He knew my name... Your name and blake and Sky's names." Lyon mumbled. "Let's go."

He was the first up, I was the last, and it soared away just as the herd reached the ladder.


	49. The End

**AN: the final chapter :) here's where it ends! This is probably gonna be the longest. Just a warning.**

* * *

| Riley POV |

I looked at the man flying the helicopter. He had stayed silent throughout the whole flight so far.

"Hey!" Violet suddenly called over the helicopter blades. "Who are you anyway, Cyrus?!"

"A friend." He answered.

"She means, why did you save us?!" Emma called.

"Because I... Felt inclined to. First it was just Blake and Sky. Then they requested I bring their friends." Cyrus shrugged and landed on top of a giant skyscraper with the letters: BHC on the side, the B was holding on barely. And a giant letter P was on the ground below, obviously having fallen off.

"I know this place." John muttered as he got out. "The bio hazard prevention lab. Right?"

"Yes." Cyrus nodded, and looked proud over his glasses.

The door to the inside opened and Sky and Blake ran out. Sky hugged Violet and Blake hugged me.

"You two are alive... We thought we lost you." Violet mumbled as she hugged Sky.

"No... This nice man saved us." Sky smiled brightly.

"Thank you, Cyrus." Lyon nodded.

"Wait... Where's Carina and Matt?" Sky backed away.

"Kayla. From Camp Haven. She found us, we let her in. She tricked Matt into killing Carina and Almost Violet, saying you four were planning to kill me and Lyon." I answered.

"She's... Dead?" Blake gaped and caught Sky as she dropped to her knees crying.

"Three more names to add." Cyrus mumbled.

"What?" Lyon looked at him.

"How did they die?" Cyrus asked, ignoring our perplexed looks.

"uh... Matt and Kayla were shot. Kayla by Lyon. Matt by Riley. And Matt decapitated Carina while she slept." Violet answered.

"Why are you asking?" Fate narrowed her eyes.

"You'll see." Cyrus nodded and walked inside, motioning for us to follow. Everyone except Blake and Sky were hesitant but after a minute we all followed.

He led us to a giant computer.

"What is this?" Lyon looked at Cyrus.

"I asked your friends some questions. That's how I found out who ran the camp." Cyrus answered. "I found out some other stuff too."

"Like?" Violet looked up at the computer.

"Have patience." Cyrus sighed, and sat down at a keyboard, then cued up the computer so it turned on. He picked up a remote and stood, facing us.

"I asked them about all your fallen companions and enemies." Cyrus nodded. "And cause of deaths."

"But who are you?" Lyon stepped forward.

"I'm the son of a bitch that caused the virus outbreak!" Cyrus snapped.

"What... How?" Fate gasped.

"I tried to do good. Be a good soldier. I created a vaccine to cure all known diseases. AIDs, Cancer, diabetes, etc. I tested it on a subject. A cancer patient with a week to live. It started off good, yknow? The disease did stop. But... There was more. It killed him and had an adverse side affect. I was at my computer, doing research on how to stabilize it. Fix it. And he suddenly lunged and attacked me. He bit me." Cyrus looked at us, expressionless.

"Bit you? That's bullshit! You are still kicking!" Lyon spat.

"The funny thing is, Lyon. It's not bullshit. When i was weak, sick, dying. I was desperate to find a cure. The other doctors here tried to help me. I did find a cure. I have it still. It stopped the disease, saved my life." Cyrus sighed shakily.

"How did the disease go global?" John asked.

"Funny story actually when the monster attacked me, I tried to hide before I was bit. He destroyed the test tube the disease was in. And let a smoke of the disease out into the atmosphere. It traveled I guess. And anyone who breathed it in got it. But you have to die to turn I guess." Cyrus shrugged.

"You caused it? One person? Not an entire fucking corporation!?" Lyon chuckled. "Fan-fucking-tastic!"

"What's with this computer." I asked.

"This... Your all gonna love." Cyrus smirked and clicked a button on the remote. The computer flashed on but the screen was pure white. "I asked for the names and cause of deaths. And here we go."

The first name popped up: Marika. Cause of death: Fed to undead.

The memories of her popped up, and I remembered her saving me in the auditorium, following me to jack and to her death at his hands.

"Interesting huh? The memories." Cyrus chuckled.

"It was my fault she died." I muttered.

"No, Riley it wasn't. It was Jack." Blake reassured me.

Speaking of Jack. The next name: Jack. Cause of Death: Shot by Darren.

The memory of him flashed to me, capturing me, John, Marika, and Emily. Him sentencing Marika to her death, and finally Darren firing the bullet into him.

"That son of a bitch..." I mumbled.

The next name: Willy. Cause of death: Shot by Dante.

The memory of him flashed to mind, the meeting. Helping Darren take down Jack. Speaking out against Dante which caused his death.

"Rest in piece, buddy." I mumbled.

The next name: Valerie. Cause of death: Shot by one of Dante's men.

The memories of her zipped in my mind. She ran off to find Darren's group after John found my shoe he told me.

I simply shook my head to keep back tears at this point.

The next name: Dante. Cause of death: Neck snapped by De.

The memory of this son of a bitch passed through my memory. Him coming to get Tiffany. Telling his man to kill Valerie. He himself killing willy.

"Riley these next three are special for you." Cyrus smirked.

The next name that came up: Krystal. Cause of death: Murder.

I took a step back as tears fell down my face.

"A shame... To be taken before she has a chance to shine. Taken in her prime. So young... So innocent." Cyrus shook his head.

"Shut up..." I muttered.

"What? Are you feeling guilty? It's not your fault, Riley!" Cyrus spat suddenly. "You had no idea your _best friend _was going to snap like he did. You can't blame yourself."

"Shut up!" I ordered.

"Very well." Cyrus sighed.

Cyrus continued as the next name came up: Lauren. Cause of death: Murder.

I clenched my fists as Violet grabbed my arm.

"It's okay to be pissed, Riley." Violet mumbled.

"Neither was your fault. Let the anger go." Cyrus sighed.

The next name came up and it made me seethe: John. Cause of Death: Strangled by Riley.

"The murderer of betrayals. John himself. He murdered your own mom and sister in cold blood Riley. Your best friend. Yet you act as if you killed them. Why?" Cyrus stared at me.

"I couldn't save them." I answered.

"You can't save everyone." Cyrus looked at me with sympathy.

"What is the point of this? A trip down memory lane?" Lyon ordered.

"In a way, yes. Or more so I'll know the weight of my own guilt. I created this. All these people. I killed them." Cyrus answered.

"No, you didn't. There's a monster inside all of us, this world just brought it out." John looked at Cyrus. "And some let it take the wheel. And steer and crash."

"Thank you." Cyrus smiled weakly, as tears went down his cheeks but he continued.

Next name: De. Cause of death: Shot.

The memories of De flashed to mind. Him agreeing to betray his leader to help us. Him punching Dante, saving my life and all of our lives. Ripping a frigging glass shard of his Palm to break us out of that torture chamber. And finally, him agreeing to sacrifice himself to give us some time to escape. And his final parting words, _Goodbye old friend, been a pleasure being with you all this time... never forget me! _

We have never forgotten you, friend. And we never will, for as long as we live. This is cliche, I know, but you lived as you died. A hero bathed in glory. A hero taken before his time.

Suddenly I felt the sting of tears as I saw Violet felt it too as she was sobbing quietly.

"Damn it... He fucking sacrificed himself for us!" Violet mumbled. "We all could have lived..."

"No. We couldn't. It's sad but it's true. Either one of us dies, or all of us die." I put a hand on her shoulder and she looked at me and nodded.

"Yeah, your right..." Violet mumbled.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Cyrus mumbled

The next name: Jessica. Cause of death: Shot.

I clenched my fists.

"That bitch is who killed De." Violet spat.

"But she got what she deserved no?" Cyrus nodded.

"She did. But she deserved worse." I mumbled.

The next name that came up made me feel sick. Like I somehow betrayed her.

The next name: Tiffany. Cause of death: Eaten.

"Riley?" Violet looked at me. "It's not your fault."

"I know... But..." I mumbled, tearing up again. "I need a minute."

I walked away.

"Why is he getting so emotional?" Fate asked Violet.

"She was a... Friend." Violet mumbled.

I returned after a few minutes.

"Okay, I'm fine now, continue." I mumbled.

"Thank you." Cyrus nodded.

Next name: Carlos. Cause of death: Car accident and eaten.

I barely knew the man but in the short time I did, he betrayed Jessica by being the one who shot her.

Next name: James. Cause of death: Shot.

I remembered him and sighed shakily. Died protecting our camp. It sucks.

"Rest in peace." Lyon bowed his head.

Next name: Nova. Cause of death: Beaten and shot.

Me and Lyon exchanged looks. He helped me kill Nova. And save Fate. If it weren't for Lyon we would all be dead probably. This asshole took off one of fates fingers. And was gonna kill her. I was right to put him down for it.

"Rot in hell!" Fate spat.

Next name: Gareth. Cause of death: Bit and put out his misery.

I looked at him. Tried warning us that Lyon, Fox, and Matt were lost in a herd and it might be close. We didn't listen. Our fault.

Next name: Dylan. Cause of death: Shot.

I choked back a sob. Dylan, besides Krystal. Was the nicest, kindest person ever. He would never hurt a fly. And he died for it! Damn it! The good die bloody.

Next name: Nowi. Cause of death: Beaten and decapitated.

"Bitch got what she deserved. Tried to get me to kill Dylan. Then killed him herself when I refused. Bitch." Blake scoffed.

"Then you beat her to death." Sky smirked. "And used my blade to cut her head off."

"Yeah." Blake sighed.

"Don't beat yourself up." I reassured blake.

"That's the same thing you said when it first happened." Blake chuckled. "Deja vu."

"Can we continue?" Cyrus was tapping his foot impatiently.

Next name: Quinn. Cause of death: Eaten.

I took a step back.

"He died saving Riley." Fate breathed. "I saw it!"

"Yeah. Heroes always die." I spat.

Next name: Rebecca. Cause of death: Eaten.

Died seeing her daughter go down. Brutal. Rest in peace.

"Riley take a wild guess whose next." Cyrus snickered.

"I think I know." I prepared.

The next name: Emily. Cause of death: Eaten.

I suddenly dropped to my knees. This was becoming too much. First my sister, then my mom, my bastard of a friend. Dylan. Now her. This was getting to be too much. The last thing Emily ever said to me I think was blaming me for Dylan's death. And just before that she blamed me for everyone else's... She died hating me. Oh my god...

"This one might make more water works." Cyrus sighed as the next name appeared.

The next name: Darren. Cause of death: Shot.

As soon as the name appeared, almost everyone. Well, everyone except Lyon, John, and Emma. Started tearing.

"My dad killed him. I know. It's my fault, you can blame me." Lyon sighed.

"A shame. Died saving Riley. Shot." Cyrus shook his head.

Next name: Carina. Cause of death: Decapitated.

Her memory was so recent it was still fresh in my mind. We shoulda known Kayla would be bad news.

Next name: Matt. Cause of death: Shot.

I shook my head.

"Maybe it was wrong to kill him, he was tricked. It was a misunderstanding after all." I shook my head.

"Bastard deserved it." Lyon spat. "He was an idiot for believing her."

"He was..." Fate looked at me.

Next name: Kayla. Cause of death: Shot.

"There's the bitch herself." Lyon shook his head. "Calling Fox a bitch. She deserved it."

"Indeed." Violet sighed.

"Speaking of... I saved these two for last. Just for you, Lyon." Cyrus smirked.

"What?" Lyon hissed.

Next name: Loke. Cause of death: Beaten and Shot.

"You son of a bitch!" Lyon stepped toward but Blake held him back.

"Stop it! He's our friend!" Blake ordered.

"Fine!" Lyon pushed Blake off him and looked back at the computer. "Whose next?"

"Final one." Cyrus nodded.

Next name: Fox. Cause of death: throat slit.

Before anyone could acknowledge what was happening, Lyon snapped. He pulled his gun out and when Blake went to tackle him, he shot Cyrus in the head. Blake stopped running at him and backed away shocked.

"You idiot!" Blake screamed.

"He knew a cure!" Sky added.

"A cure?" Lyon looked down.

"Yes! A cure!" I looked at Lyon.

"There is no cure. For this!" Lyon pointed at the monitor that had Fox's name on it. "She's dead and she ain't coming back! The cures useless!"

Everyone stared at Lyon and each and everyone of us knew he was right. Even with the cure their all dead. And their not coming back.

And here brings the story to a close. Finding unlikely allies, betrayal, sadness, anger, and regret. All things we experience on a daily basis. All emotions we need to let go of, if we want to live. It'll be hard to adjust. The hardest thing ever possibly. But I think, with time. This BHPC could be our new home. And we could stay here. Forever. There's enough food in storage to last years. Hot water. And it's protected with a reinforced steel grating on the front entrance so no Infected come in. While the outside world gets worst and worst we will remain here. Where it's safe. Maybe some days we will go and find survivors. I don't know yet. But whatever we do. We will do it together. As a family.


End file.
